KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari rushed to Delhi on Friday even as the BJP government in the state was yet to finalise the allocation of portfolios among 35 newly inducted ministers, including 13 Cabinet members, who were scheduled to receive their departments at the state secretariat, Nabanna.
The Chief Minister's sudden visit to the national capital, coupled with state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya's departure for Delhi on Thursday, has raised questions over the delay in the distribution of departments among the 35 ministers in the Adhikari Cabinet.
The BJP government in West Bengal has yet to finalise the allocation of portfolios, 27 days after Adhikari and five other BJP MLAs — Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Nisith Pramanik, Ashoke Kirtania and Kshudiram Tudu — took oath as Chief Minister and Cabinet ministers on May 9 at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Grounds in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states.
The 35 ministers were initially scheduled to receive their portfolios on June 3 following a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister at Nabanna. However, the announcement was deferred to June 5.
With Adhikari leaving for Delhi at around 11.30 am on Friday, the process has been put on hold again.
Sources in the state secretariat said there was no clarity on when the portfolios would be allotted.
State Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh had told reporters at Nabanna on Wednesday that the distribution of departments would be announced on Friday.
“The decision to allot portfolios could not be taken today and may be announced on Friday,” Ghosh had said after announcing several state government schemes, including Annapurna Yojona, West Bengal Dibas and transfer of land to the BSF for border fencing.
Sources said the Chief Minister and the state BJP president had travelled to Delhi to seek clearance from the party's central leadership on the allocation of departments. Adhikari is believed to have discussed the matter with Amit Shah and BJP national president Nitin Nabin.
Soon after their induction into the Cabinet, the 35 ministers were provided government vehicles and security personnel. However, none of them has yet been informed about the department they will head.
One of the ministers, requesting anonymity, said, “We are still in dark about when we will be offered the departments.”