Raje ignores RSS lobby in Cabinet expansion

JAIPUR: Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday added 18 more ministers to her ministry to accommodate many people who had helped the BJP maintain its grip on the state, but she successfully resisted RSS pressure and gave the party''s ideological ally only two berths.
When she became the chief minister five months ago she had inducted just eight members into her cabinet in spite of mounting pressure from all quarters to give representation to people based on caste and region arithmetics.
This time Raja managed to have a blend of youth and experience giving due regards to caste and region factors. She also did not bow to the pressure of strong RSS lobby.
The RSS lobbyists, spearheaded by BJP''s general secretary Prakash Chand and veteran Bhanwar Lal Sharma, wanted her to include six people.
But Raje, who had been maintaining that only deserving candidates would be accommodated, inducted only two RSS nominees - Vasudeo Devnani and Babu Lal Verma - that too only as ministers of state.