First Cabinet meet of Rupani Govt on after a delay of 4 hours owing to reported differences on portfolios

Gandhinagar:

The first cabinet meeting of the Vijay Rupani government which was to take place yesterday but was postponed for today in the wake of CM Rupani’s going to Shimla to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of BJP government of Himachal Pradesh, started after around four hours of delay reportedly owing to the said ‘differences’ on distribution of portfolios among the newly inducted ministers.

No consensus could emerge initially in the meeting that preceded the cabinet meeting in which both CM Rupani and his deputy Nitin Patel were present. The matter later reportedly reached the high-command at Delhi and on the instruction from there the matter was some how sorted out with some more hectic parleys in which state BJP chief Jeetu Vaghani and RSS backed BJP leader Bhikhu Dalsaniya also intervened.

Later Both CM and Deputy CM reached the Swarnim Sankul, the venue of cabinet meeting where the Chief Secretary and others were waiting for long, in the same vehicle in an apparent attempt to give a message that all was well. The meeting which was initially slated for 5 pm could start only at around 9 pm.

A new minister said that the distribution of portfolio has now been finalized and would be made pubic soon.

Rupani had taken oath of office and secrecy along with deputy CM Nitin Patel and 8 cabinet rank and 10 state level ministers for his second consecutive term two days ago.

The first meeting of the cabinet to kick start the formal business of the new government was to take place yesterday only. It was customary to convene the first cabinet meeting on the day of the oath or the next day but owing to the absence of the CM, it is taking place two days after the oath.

However the delay in the very first meeting of the government which has come to power with a reduced majority was not being taken as a good sing for it.

DeshGujarat