Manohar Lal Khattar expands cabinet; three new ministers inducted

CHANDIGARH: Nine months after becoming Haryana's chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar today expanded his cabinet for the first time inducting three new ministers.

With the induction of three ministers, the Khattar government will now have total 13 ministers including the Chief Minister.

Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki administered the oath of office to three newly inducted ministers -- Krishan Lal Panwar (Cabinet rank), Ghanshyam Saraf (Minister of state with Independent charge) and Nayab Saini (Minister of state).

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and state BJP Incharge Anil Jain were also present on the occasion at Raj Bhawan.

Krishan Lal Panwar is an MLA from Israna Assembly constituency while Ghanshyam Saraf and Nayab Saini represent Bhiwani and Naraingarh Assembly seats respectively.

Panwar, who is five-time MLA, had switched over to BJP ahead of 2014 Haryana Assembly polls. He had contested 2009 Assembly polls on INLD ticket.

At present, apart from the Chief Minister, the Khattar government has six Cabinet rank Ministers while three others are Ministers of State.

The BJP had formed government in Haryana for the first time on its own strength. Elections to the 90-member state Assembly were held in October last year and the saffron party had wrested power from the Congress.