In the recent expansion of the Haryana cabinet,an exercise Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had been holding back for over a year,the most keenly watched aspect was the induction of Congress leader Kiran Choudhary,who had once rebelled. After the Congress had retained power,Choudhary was offered the post of a minister of state but refused it on the grounds that she was senior enough to be granted cabinet status. At that time,Hooda dug in his heels and kept her out. Now,he has given her the prized portfolio of Excise and Taxation besides Public Health. Choudhary,daughter-in-law of former Chief Minister Bansi Lal,evidently had not given up after the snub last year. The day after she was sworn in,she rushed to thank Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Her induction is part of a move to address the growing disaffection among Jat leaders. Another Jat leader,Satpal Sangwan of the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC),has been inducted into the cabinet while former Finance Minister Birender Singh has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Hoodas balancing act includes adjusting four of the five HJC members who had helped his government come to power. The Chief Minister has also attempted to rein in a vocal Ahir leader,Finance Minister Capt Ajay Singh Yadav,by inducting another Ahir leader,Rao Narinder Singh. Minister Mahendra Pratap Singh,who had been opposing the land acquisition policy,has been stripped of four portfolios. Yadav,who ranked second in the ministry,has been downgraded to number three with the induction of Speaker Harmohinder Singh Chatha as a minister. The induction of Chatha is a masterstroke. Hooda has not only lowered Capt Yadavs standing and given representation to the Sikhs but also,in the process,ensured a delay in a decision on the fate of the five HJC members who had joined the Congress. Chatha,as Speaker,was supposed to decide on a petition filed by HJP chief Kuldeep Bishnoi seeking disqualification of the five under the anti-defection law. Chatha had been sitting on the issue and Bishnoi had moved the High Court,which recently gave the Speaker four months to decide. With Chatha now in the cabinet,his replacement as Speaker will only delay the process. The replacement is expected to be Sampat Singh,who had been with the Indian National Lok Dal but who won the last election on a Congress ticket. Of the five HJC MLAs,the one who has not been given a cabinet berth is expected to be made chairman of some board or corporation. Hoodas next test will be finding a resolution to the Jat-Dalit confrontation with its epicentre at Mirchpur.
