In the first ever expansion after she took charge, Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel on Wednesday inducted four new ministers, two each of Cabinet and minister of state ranks, including Purshottam Solanki who has court cases pending against him in the R450-crore fishing contract scam.
Solanki, who has been inducted as the MoS for animal husbandry, was also a minister in the previous Narendra Modi government but Patel had dropped him.
Governor OP Kohli administered the oath of secrecy and office to Mangu Patel, Vijay Rupani, Jasha Barad and Solanki at a function in Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar. Former Deputy Speaker of Gujarat Legislative Assembly and six-time MLA from Gandevi seat (Patel), and former Rajya Sabha MP and MLA from Rajkot West (Rupani) took oath as cabinet ministers.