In first expansion, Saini inducts 7 new faces in Haryana Cabinet

Six-time MLA and former Haryana home minister Anil Vij did not find a place as Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini carried out his first Cabinet expansion Tuesday by inducting eight ministers, including seven new faces and a woman. The effective strength of the Cabinet, including the CM, now is 14 — the maximum allowed for Haryana.

Governor Bandaru Dattatreya administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at the Raj Bhavan. BJP MLA from Hisar, Kamal Gupta, was the first to be administered oath as cabinet minister. Gupta was also a minister in the previous Manohar Lal Khattar-led Cabinet.

The other seven were sworn in as ministers of state (independent charge).They include Seema Trikha (Badkhal MLA), Mahipal Dhanda (Panipat Rural), Aseem Goel (Ambala City), Abhe Singh Yadav (Nangal Chaudhary), Subhash Sudha (Thanesar), Bishamber Singh Balmiki (Bawani Khera), and Sanjay Singh (Sohna).