Six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries in the rank of Minister of State were today inducted by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who said that a lone vacancy in his Cabinet will be filled up at an appropriate time.
The Chief Minister administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new appointees at the state secretariat.
With this, the total number of CPS in the Congress-ruled state has risen to nine.
Talking to reporters after the ceremony, Singh said the lone vacancy in the Cabinet would be filled at an appropriate time. At present, the Virbhadra Singh government comprises 11 ministers and there is a place for another minister.
Among the new CPS are Jagjivan Pal, a two-time MLA from Sulah, and Rakesh Kalia, elected twice to the Assembly from Chintpurni. He represents Gagret constituency in Una district.
Nand Lal is a two-time sitting MLA from Rampur, the chief minister's home town.
Also inducted were Sohan Lal, two-time sitting MLA from Sundernagar in Mandi district, and Rohit Thakur, the grandson of former chief minister Ram Lal Thakur and the sitting MLA from Jubbal Kotkhai.
Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, a first-time MLA from Badsar in Hamirpur district, was also sworn in.
