Dehra Dun: In an apparent move to strengthen his position within the ruling BJP, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank on Saturday elevated all the four
ministers of state as full-fledged cabinet ministers.
Vijaya Barthwal, Khajan Das, Balwant Singh Bhoryal and Govind Singh Bist were administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor Margaret Alva at a function at Raj Bhavan here.
All the four were ministers of state in the Nishank government.
With this, there will be no junior minister in the state council of ministers.
Nishank took over reigns of the state on June 27 last year after his predecessor BC Khanduri was forced to relinquish the post of chief minister in the wake of the
party's debacle in the Lok Sabha elections.
The move to elevate the four ministers to the cabinet rank is being seen as the Chief Minister's attempt to strengthen his position within the ruling BJP ahead of the
2012 assembly elections.
State BJP president Bishan Singh Chufal welcomed the step saying BJP would further consolidate its hold in the state.
However, there was no announcement regarding the new portfolios. Official sources said an announcement to this effect is expected to be made shortly.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, September 18, 2010, 11:49