CM Bhupesh Baghel expands Chhattisgarh Cabinet, inducts nine ministers

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday expanded his team by inducting nine ministers into the Cabinet. The nine Congress MLAs were administered the oath of office by Governor Anandiben Patel at the Police Parade Ground in Raipur. The ministers took their oath in Hindi.

This is the first expansion of the Cabinet of Bhupesh Baghel-led government in Chhattisgarh. A woman legislator is also among the nine MLAs who took oath on Tuesday. The ministers who were sworn-in included Mohammed Akbar, Umesh Patel, Anila Bhediya and Ravindra Chaubey.

Baghel took oath as Chhattisgarh chief minister on December 17, after the Congress won the state assembly election with a thumping majority. Two other Congress legislators, TS Singh Deo and Tamradhwaj Sahu, were also sworn in as ministers that day.

The Congress returned to power in the state after 15 years, dislodging the Raman Singh-led BJP government.