Dhumal expands Cabinet; Inducts nine ministers in HP

Shimla, Jan 9 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal expanded his Cabinet today, inducting nine ministers, 10 days after the BJP secured a simple majority in the Assembly polls.

Governor V S Kokje Sharma administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers at a function this morning at Raj Bhawan here.

Among those who took oath were Kishen Kapoor, Ravinder S Ravi, Ramesh Dhawala, and Sarveen Chaudhary, all from Kangra district, Ishwar Dass Dhiman from Hamirpur district, Rajiv Bindal from Solan, J P Nadda from Bilaspur district, Narinder Bragta from Shimla district and Gulab Singh from Mandi district.

Ms Chaudhary and Mr Bindal are two new faces in the state Cabinet, which would to be expanded later to fill two vacancies.

The BJP had secured a simple majority in the recently concluded assembly elections, winning 41 seats in the 68-member Assembly.

Mr Dhumal was the only one to take oath at a function organised by the party on December 30.

Former union minister Shanta Kumar, party state incharge Satpal Jain and co incharge OP P Dhankad, party state president Jai Ram Thakur, all BJP legislators, senior administrative and police officers were prominent among others present on the occasion.

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