Chavan Cabinet to be sworn in today

As the Ashok Chavan-led Cabinet will be sworn in on Saturday,President Pratibha Patils son Rajendra Shekhawat and other children of prominent Congress leaders are set to be overlooked,it is reliably learnt. The Congress has decided not to go for the swearing in of all 23 ministers,even as all 20 ministers of the NCP are set hellip;

As the Ashok Chavan-led Cabinet will be sworn in on Saturday,President Pratibha Patils son Rajendra Shekhawat and other children of prominent Congress leaders are set to be overlooked,it is reliably learnt.

The Congress has decided not to go for the swearing in of all 23 ministers,even as all 20 ministers of the NCP are set to take oath on Saturday. Only about 16 to 17 ministers would take oath on Saturday while the rest would be sworn in in the second phase,said sources.

As per the agreement between them,the Congress got 23 portfolios,including the Chief Ministers post,while the NCP got 20,including the Deputy CMs post.

Sources said the High Command was not inclined to reward the privileged children further,as the partys decision to give tickets to political greenhorns at the cost of many senior leaders had already invited public criticism.

Among those set to miss the Cabinet berths on Saturday were Rajendra Shekhawat,whose nomination from Amravati at the cost of sitting MLA and minister Sunil Deshmukh had invited opprobrium from within the party and outside,Amit Deshmukh,son of Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh,and Praniti Shinde,daughter of Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. While Narayan Ranes son had also successfully contested the recent Assembly election,he was not in the fray for a ministerial berth,said sources.

Besides,there was also a question mark on the fate of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee president Kripashankar Singh whose sons father-in-law Kamlesh Singh,a close associate of former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda,is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax department,which could mar Kripashankars ministerial ambitions,said Congress sources.

Meanwhile,in Mumbai,the alliance staked claim to form the government,saying it had the support of 170 MLAs in the 288-member House. Chief Minister Ashok Chavan,Deputy CM Chhagan Bhujbal,state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre and state NCP chief R R Patil met Governor S C Jamir on Friday evening.

With ENS Mumbai