Much-awaited HP's Cabinet expansion on Thursday

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet will be expanded on Thursday, an official spokesperson said. The oath-taking ceremony of new ministers will be held at Raj Bhawan on July 30 at 11.15 am, he said, adding there will be a live webcast of the ceremony. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and newly inducted ministers will interact with the media at Peterhoff after the oath-taking ceremony, he added.

Three ministerial berths in the state have been lying vacant for the past several months. The state government, however, has not yet made public the names of those who will take oath on Thursday as new ministers.

Anil Sharma, who was the power minister, had resigned from the Cabinet in April last year following pressure from the ruling BJP. Sharma had refused to campaign for the BJP candidate from Mandi Lok Sabha seat, Ram Swaroop Sharma, as his son Aashray was contesting from the seat on a Congress ticket. Kishan Kapoor, who was the Civil Supplies Minister, resigned in May after he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kangra.

Vipin Singh Parmar, who was the Health Minister, was appointed Speaker of the state assembly following resignation by the then Speaker Rajeev Bindal..

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