The portfolio allocation for the new West Bengal Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has been delayed by a couple of days. Originally scheduled for announcement on Wednesday, the finalization of the expanded Cabinet’s portfolios is now expected to be revealed on June 5. Technical reasons caused the delay in completing the allocation process during the third meeting of the new Cabinet on Wednesday.
On June 1, 35 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators were sworn in as ministers in Kolkata. Among them, 13 became cabinet ministers, three were Ministers of State with independent charge, and 19 were Ministers of State. This swearing-in increased the total number of ministers in the West Bengal cabinet to 41, including the six cabinet ministers who took oath earlier on May 9.
With the addition of 13 new cabinet ministers, the total count of cabinet-rank members in the new West Bengal government, along with CM Adhikari, has risen to 19. The state cabinet can have a maximum of 44 members, as per constitutional provisions based on the 294-member West Bengal Assembly. The allocation of portfolios, expected on June 5, raises questions about who will oversee crucial departments like Finance and Industry & Commerce.
Insiders suggest that CM Adhikari may temporarily retain the Finance portfolio until a renowned Delhi-based Bengali economist is elected in the Nandigram Assembly constituency by-election and inducted as the new Finance Minister. Adhikari, who won from Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the recent Assembly polls, defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. His retention of the Bhabanipur seat necessitated a by-election in Nandigram.
