Modi ministers to take oath on Friday

Gujarat Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma cleared Friday, January 4, as the day for swearing-in of ministers to be included in the Narendra Modi Government. Back from a holiday, Sharma accepted the Government’s request here on Tuesday launching the General Administration Department into frenzied activity for the ceremonial preparations. The ceremony will be held at the sprawling lawns of the Assembly complex at around 9 am.

Sources said the exercise would see about a dozen ministers taking oath. “It is likely to be between 10 and 15 ministers with an equal number of seniors and juniors,” said a source. But those in the BJP believe that the list of ministers could go up to 18. Several new faces are likely to take oath, according to sources. From the seniors Vajubhai Vala, Ashok Bhatt, Anandiben Patel, Narottam Patel, and Mangubhai Patel are to see renomination, though Vala’s name is being discussed for the Speaker’s post.

Ministers of State Amit Shah, Saurabh Patel, Jaswantsinh Bhabhor, and Parsottam Solanki are likely to be repeated from the outgoing ministry. Of the likely new faces, the names of Dilip Sanghani, Leeladhar Vaghela, Vasan Ahir, Pankaj Desai, Jitu Sukhadia, and Vasuben Trivedi are also being discussed. Also probable is the inclusion of at least one from the seniors, Nitin Patel, Jainarayan Vyas, and Fakirbhai Vaghela, with Patel having greater chance over the latter two. Bharat Barot and Pradipsinh Jadeja are likely candidates for the post of chief whip in the Assembly.