Hemant Soren expands cabinet, inducts one minister

Ranchi, Feb 5 (IANS) Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expanded his cabinet on Friday, inducting one minister.Governor Draupdi Murmu administered the oath to Hafizal Hasan Ansari, son of former Minister Haji Hussain Ansari who died of coronavirus last year. Ansari, who is not a legislator, is slated to enter the state Assembly from Madhupur seat which was held by his father.This is the second cabinet expansion of Hemant Soren government, which now has 11 ministers including the Chief Minister, and can have one more Minister.Ansari is the second person to become a Jharkhand minister without being an MLA after Hemendra Pratap Dehati in 2006. Dehati had, however, subsequently quit to clear the way for his legislator son Bhanu Pratap Shahi, following the latter's release from jail.
--IANS ns/vd