7 MLAs almost certain to secure cabinet berths in MP

Bhopal, Aug 24 (UNI) At least seven MLAs are almost certain to secure cabinet berths in tomorrow's much-awaited first expansion of Madhya Pradesh's Shivraj Singh Chouhan Council of Ministers -- a key political exercise ahead of next year's Assembly polls.

The members would be sworn in at midday in Raj Bhavan. The key contenders are former Minister Gaurishankar Shejwar, Anchal Sonkar, Lakshman Singh Gaur, Jagannath Singh, Ranjana Baghel, Sudha Jain, Akhand Pratap Singh, Kailash Chawla and Lalsingh Arya.

Bharatiya Janata Party sources said that no minister was likely to be dropped. At the most, the axe might fall on one or two ministers of state.

The Council has 26 members, including the Chief Minister, and that leaves room for the induction of nine members in consonance with the rule regarding the maximum number of members permissable being 15 per cent of the 230-member Assembly.

Mr Chouhan wished to keep two berths vacant for ''strategic'' reasons. The two seats could be filled in future keeping political equations in view.

UNI