Friday, March 11 2005 11:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chandigarh: In the first expansion of his Ministerial council, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda yesterday (Mar 10, 2005) inducted ten Cabinet Ministers including Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Bhajan Lal's son Chander Mohan, PCC working chief Randeep Singh Surjewala and leading industrialist O P Jindal.

Among others who took oath as Cabinet Ministers from Governor A R Kidwai were Capt Ajay Singh Yadav, former PCC chief Birender Singh, Kartar Devi, Lachhman Dass Arora, Phool Chand Mullana, Surender Singh and Vinod Sharma.

Among the castes that found representation in Hooda's Cabinet were Yadavs, Dalits, Brahmins, Jats, Punjabis, Bishnois and Banyas.

Prominent among those who failed to find berth in the Cabinet were three time Chief Minister Bhajan Lal's loyalist and MLA from Jind Mange Ram Gupta and MLA from Mewla Meharajpur Mahendra Pratap Singh.

Other than his son Chander Mohan, a four-time MLA from Kalka, only one more loyalist of PCC chief Bhajan Lal found berth in the Cabinet of Hooda who had piped Lal for the top post. He is Phool Chand Mullana, an MLA from Mullana.

Bhajan Lal attended the ceremony with his entire family, including his wife Jasma Devi and MP son Kuldeep Bishnoi.

Chander Mohan said that he was never a claimant for the post of deputy Chief Minister. "This was a media creation," he added.

He, however, expressed satisfaction that "all sections of society are given representation in the Ministry."

In choosing his Cabinet Ministers, Hooda, who was sworn in as Chief Minister less than a week ago, has given weightage to Ambala, Rohtak, Sirsa, Rewari Jind, Panchkula, Bhiwani and Hisar districts of the State.

Describing his Ministry as "balanced", Hooda told reporters after the swearing in ceremony that care had been taken to give representation to all sections of society and regions.

Parrying a question on possibility of having a deputy Chief Minister, Hooda said ten Cabinet rank Ministers took the oath yesterday and did not rule out the possibility of appointing parliamentary secretaries. "If need be, parliamentary secretaries would be appointed," he said.

He said portfolios of the Ministers would be allocated soon.