All eyes on cabinet berths as prep begins for oath event

Kolkata: Speculation intensified on Friday about a potential expansion of the Bengal cabinet, likely on Monday, after the state's home secretary met governor RN Ravi at Lok Bhavan. While the purpose of the meeting was not officially disclosed, sources in the state administration said the discussions revolved around preparations for swearing-in ceremonies of new ministers.The Bengal govt will start distributing invites for the cabinet expansion from May 30 itself. Sources in BJP said Bengal may have 30 ministers initially out of a permissible strength of 45 (15% of total assembly strength).CM Suvendu Adhikari currently handles 43 of the govt's 55 departments while BJP seniors Dilip Ghosh and Kshudiram Tudu handle three departments each. Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania and Nisith Pramanik are handling two departments each.BJP Bengal in-charge Sunil Bansal has been in Kolkata since Wednesday to finalise the list of ministers. Sources said some of the names under consideration include Swapan Dasgupta, Tapas Roy, Shankar Ghosh, Indranil Khan and Saradwat Mukherjee. Sources added that three names were being considered for the post of state finance minister and that a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council could also be inducted.According to Bengal BJP sources, the party was relying on veterans with ideological roots in the RSS to lead its govt, and that a mix would ensure ideological commitment, grassroots mobilisation and regional representation.Names of Ratna Debnath, the mother of the RG Kar rape-murder victim, Bharat Sevashram Sangha monk Utpal Maharaj, ex-IPS officer Rajesh Kumar and former NSG commando Dipanjan Chakraborty are also doing the rounds for potential cabinet berths.Other names under consideration include Arjun Singh, Gouri Shankar Ghosh, Bengal VHP former president Shruti Shekhar Goswami, Roopa Ganguly, Koustav Bagchi, Dipak Barman, Sajal Ghosh and Joyel Murmu, sources said.