Monday, August 1 2005 15:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Gandhinagar: For the first time since he came to power in December 2002, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today (Aug 1, 2005) expanded his cabinet by inducting 11 more MLAs, taking the strength of the ministry to 26 even as a know Modi baiter, Goardha Zadafiya refused to take oath.

Those who were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Naval Kishore Sharma at Raj Bhavan include Bharat Barot, Jasu Korat, Ratibhai Sureja, Mulubhai Bera, Purshottam Solanki, Jaswantsinh Bhabhor, Bhupendrasinh Lakhawala, Sundersinh Chauhan, Chatarsinh Mori, C D Patel and Harjivan Patel.

Solanki, a powerful leader of the Koli community, who called Modi a 'Hitler', at a function in May last year but later apologized, was inducted into the Cabinet.

The expansion was being held at a time when former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, a staunch opponent of Modi, is in United States on a personal visit.

Drama unfolded at the makeshift venue of the swearing-in ceremony when Zadafiya, known to be close to Keshubhai Patel, refused to take oath.

Zadafiya, prominent among those in anti-Modi camp, told reporters, "As I feel that my workers cannot get justice in the present conditions (in Gujarat), I am not keen to be part of the Cabinet. I am and will remain a soldier of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and will work for the party."

Denying that he was rebelling against the Chief Minister openly and that too during the swearing-in ceremony, Zadafiya said he had 'considered this decision all night and had made up his mind, without anyone's influence'.

Senior party workers and even the newly appointed spokesperson Purshottam Rupela refused to comment on the issue.

All those who were sworn in today would be of the rank of Minister of State.

Modi, who maintained a stoic silence over Zadafiya's reaction, is also yet to announce if there was any reshuffling of berths among cabinet ministers.

Senior party leaders and prominent faces of the anti-Modi camp, Suresh Mehta and Kanshiram Rana, did not attend the function.

Among the newly appointed state ministers, Purshottam Solanki, MLA from Gogha assembly seat in Bhavanagar has a string of criminal cases pending against him and was himself one of the first BJP-men who raised the banner of revolt against Modi.

Solanki, a powerful leader of the Koli community, incidentally was the MLA who called Modi a 'Hitler' at a function amidst several other workers but later apologized.

Those newly inducted into Modi cabinet include Bharat Barot (Dariapur-Kazipur in Ahmedabad), Jasu Korat (Jetpur, Rajkot rural), Ratibhai Sureja (Manavadar, Junagadh), Mulu Bera (Bhanvad, Jamnagar), Purshottam Solanki (Gogha, Bhavnagar), Jaswantsinh Bhabhor (Randhikpur, Panchmahals), Bhupendrasinh Lakhawala (Vadodara city), Sundersinh Chauhan (Mehemdavad,Kheda), Chatarsinh Mori (jambusar, Bharuch), C D Patel (Petlad, Anand) and HarjivanPatel (Dhanera, Banaskantha).