Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Saturday expanded his Cabinet by inducting 22 new ministers, including 12 of Cabinet-rank and 10 ministers of state (five with Independent charge) at the Raj Bhavan here on Saturday.

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath of office to the 22 newly inducted ministers. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced the names of his new ministerial team members and the Governor administered them the oath of office, secrecy, and allegiance to the Constitution.

Former MPs Dr K L Meena (Rajya Sabha) and Rajya Vardhan Singh Rathore (Lok Sabha), who won the assembly polls from Sawaimadhopur and Jhotwara (Jaipur) seats, respectively, took oath as Cabinet ministers. Third former MP and Jaipur’s Vidhyadhar Nagar MLA Diya Kumari was already inducted earlier as the Deputy Chief Minister.

On a surprising note, Surendra Pal Singh TT, who is contesting the adjourned assembly seat of Karanpura on January 5, was sworn in as Minister of State (Independent charge).

The strength of the Cabinet, including Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and the two Deputy CMs, has now reached 25. According to the stipulated norms, Rajasthan can have a maximum of 30 ministers. Five ministerial berths are still vacant in the Cabinet. Out of the 22 newly sworn-in MLAs, 16 are serving as ministers for the first time.

The other 10 cabinet ministers are Gajendra Singh Kheenvsar (Lohavat), who was Industry and Energy Minister in the Vasundhara Raje regime, Babulal Kharadi Jhadol (Udaipur), Madan Dilawar Ramganjmandi (Kota), Jogaram Patel Luni (Jodhpur), Suresh Singh Rawat Pushkar (Ajmer), Avinash Gehlot Jaitaran (Pali), Joraram Kumawat Sumerpur (Pali), Hemant Meena (Pratapgarh), Kanhaiyalal Chaudhary Malpura (Tonk), and Sumit Godara Lunkaransar (Bikaner).

Sanjay Sharma (Alwar City), Gautam Kumar Bardsadri (Chittorgarh), Jhabar Singh Kharra Shrimadhopur (Sikar), Surendrapal Singh TT Srikaranpur (Sriganganagar), Hiralal Nagar Sangod (Kota) were administered oath as MoS (Independent charge).

Otram Dewasi from Sirohi, Dr Manju Baghmar Jayal (Nagaur), Vijay Singh Chaudhary Nawan (Nagaur), KK Vishnoi of Gudhamlani (Barmer), Jawahar Singh Bedham Nagar (Bharatpur) will be MoS.