On Friday (22 December), nine ministers were inducted into the Chhattisgarh cabinet led by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, increasing its total strength to 12.

During a ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan swore in nine MLAs, including a female legislator, by administering the oath of office and secrecy.

Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, both deputy chief ministers, had previously been sworn in on 13 December, the same day Sai took oath as the Chief Minister.

The lawmakers who took oath on Friday include eight-term MLA Brijmohan Agrawal, senior party leaders and former ministers Ramvichar Netam, Kedar Kashyap and Dayaldas Baghel.

OP Choudhary, a former IAS officer turned politician, along with Tank Ram Verma and Laxmi Rajwade, who are all serving their first term as MLAs, have been appointed as ministers.

Shyam Bihari Jaiswal and Lakhanlal Dewangan, both of whom are serving their second term as legislators, have also received ministerial appointments.

CM Sai, his predecessor Bhupesh Baghel and assembly speaker Raman Singh were present on the occasion.

Following the expansion, the cabinet now comprises six members from Other Backward Classes (OBC), three from the Scheduled Tribes, one from the Scheduled Caste, and two from the general category.

Rajwade is the sole female member in the cabinet.

The announcement regarding the ministers’ portfolios is still pending.

The maximum number of ministers, including the chief minister, that the Chhattisgarh cabinet can have is 13.

There are 90 seats in the state assembly.

The BJP came back to power in the state by ousting the Congress in the assembly polls held on 7 and 17 November, whose results were declared on 3 December.

The BJP won 54 seats, while the Congress bagged only 35, down from the 68 seats it had won in the 2018 polls.