Jaipur:
Seven Rajasthan ministers were sworn-in today as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, after dropping five ministers, reshuffled his council of ministers to give a new look to his government battling allegations of sleaze and corruption.
All 27 ministers - 16 of Cabinet rank and 11 junior ministers - had given their resignation letters to the Chief Minister yesterday. Regrouping his team, Mr Gehlot showed the door to six ministers, picked five new ones, promoted one to Cabinet rank and re-inducted another.
While Manju Meghawal, Naseem Akhtar, Vinod Chaudhary, Virendra Beniwal and Dayaram Parmar are the new faces, Amin Khan has been re-inducted and Ashok Bharwa elevated from MoS to Cabinet rank.
Beniwal and Parmar have been made Ministers of State with independent charge. Khan, who had caused considerable embarrassment by saying that President Pratibha Patil got the top post due to her proximity with Sonia Gandhi, has also been made MoS (Independent charge).
Governor Shivraj Patil administered them oath of office at the swearing-in ceremony in Raj Bhawan.
Those who have been dropped are Bhanwarlal Meghawal (education), Bharosilal Jatav (motor garage),Pramod Jain Bhaya (PWD) and Golma Devi who had resigned earlier.
Ram Lal Jat, who had resigned as Minister of State for Forest and Environment following allegation of being involved with a woman, also finds no place in the new team.
Gehlot had sent the resignation letters of these five to the Governor for acceptance.
The Chief Minister insisted that the rejig exercise has nothing to do with Gopalgarh violence or the missing nurse case.