No Congress MP from Gujarat in new UPA Cabinet

No Congress MP from Gujarat could make it to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led 19-member Cabinet sworn-in today, but party sources said a couple of the 11 newly elected lawmakers may find a place in the Council of Ministers when it is expanded in the next few days.

Sources in the state Congress indicated that there are chances that two MPs from Gujarat may be inducted as Minister of State (MoS) in the Cabinet expansion.

Those in the race are Dinsha Patel (Kheda), Bharat Solanki (Anand) and Tushar Choudhry (Bardoli).

Also, there are chances that the party high command may select one MP for Ministership from Saurashtra region, where Congress has made inroads this time, the sources said. Two powerful contenders from Saurashtra are Porbandar MP Vitthal Radadia and Rajkot MP Kunvarji Bavalia. Radadia tops the list of MPs with criminal history in 2009 elections while Bavalia was released from jail last month.

In the previous UPA Government, Shankersinh Vaghela ( Cabinet rank), Naranbhai Rathwa and Dinsha Patel (both MoS) were in the Council of Ministers from Gujarat.

Vaghela and Rathwa have been defeated this time, but Patel has been re-elected by narrow margin. However Patel’s victory has been challenged in Gujarat High Court.