More Ministers to face heat in Rajasthan

With Mahipal Maderana sacked from the Rajasthan cabinet over his alleged involvement in the disappearance of nurse Bhanwari Devi, at least three other ministers are also likely to be axed or their portfolios changed in the near future. Maderana's ouster Sunday is one of the steps taken by Congress Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to help his government wriggle out of controversies surrounding his ministers. A clean-up seems imminent. Water resources minister Maderana allegedly features in a CD showing him in a compromising position with the missing nurse, who it is widely believed may have been murdered.
Other factors, including the displeasure of the minority community after Bharatpur's Gopalgarh violence and some ministers' involvement in corruption, have also forced the Congress leadership in New Delhi to put things in order before the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections next year. Party sources say a cabinet reshuffle is likely. The ministers in the line of fire are Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Food and Civil Supply Minister Babulal Naagar, Agriculture Minister Bharosi Lal Jatav and possibly Minister for Mining and Environment Ramlal Jaat. Dhariwal is being directly targeted by the Meo Muslim community here after the Gopalgarh violence that claimed 10 lives, the majority of them Muslims, and left 21 injured Sep 14.