BHUBANESWAR: With the BJP government in the state pushed to a corner over the FM college student’s death by self-immolation and the Balanga incident, where a 15-year-old girl was allegedly set afire by unknown miscreants, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday evening paid a sudden visit to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, fuelling various speculations including a possible cabinet expansion or reshuffle.
Adding more twist to the political buzz, immediately after the meeting with the chief minister, the Governor made a visit to the official residence of Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan.
Even as the chief minister’s office (CMO) maintained Majhi’s meeting with Kambhampati was a courtesy call, the unusual departure from protocol by the latter to go to a minister’s house set the grapevine afire. Harichandan, however, described the visit of the Governor as personal.
“It was purely a family visit. There is no political element in it. The Governor had visited my father (former Governor of Andhra Pradesh Biswabhusan Harichandan) a few days ago at his residence. He enquired about my father’s health. We did not discuss anything political or about the government,” the Law minister said.
Responding to queries on possible cabinet expansion, Harichandan said it was purely the discretion of the chief minister. “The expansion is due and will be done at an appropriate time as decided by the chief minister,” he said.
The speculation over cabinet expansion, which is long overdue, has gained currency after the recent meeting of the chief minister with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top functionaries of the party including national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh during his recent visit to Delhi. State BJP president Manmohan Samal, who had also gone to Delhi during the same time and met national general secretaries BL Santosh and Tarun Chug along with the chief minister, had told reporters after his return that the cabinet expansion will be held soon.
He had also said that the expansion would be followed by political appointments to different public sector corporations and boards.
The state council of ministers at present comprises the chief minister, two deputy chief ministers, eight cabinet ministers and five ministers of state. It has a vacancy of six positions.