'U'khand Cabinet to be expanded next week'

New Delhi, Mar 21: The much awaited expansion of the Uttarakhand Cabinet will take place next week.

State Chief Minister B C Khanduri here today said he had held consultations within the party and will be inducting more ministers next week.

He was talking to reporters after meeting Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia this morning Mr Khanduri, who is in the capital, has met BJP leaders besides Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President A P J Abdul Kalam. He also had a meeting with Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Defence Minister Pranab Kumar Mukherjee.

The Chief Minister has a tough job in accommodating the three-member Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD) and three Independents, who have pledged support to the new government, as the number of Cabinet members cannot go beyond 12.

The BJP had won 34 of 69 members in the Assembly which went to polls recently.

Mr Khanduri said he discussed with the PLanning Commission the devlopmental problems of Uttarakhand and how its natural resources could be put to maximum use for the benefit of its people.

UNI

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