Chhattisgarh cabinet formation delayed as Raman Singh's mother falls ill

Raipur, Dec 18 (IANS) The formation of the 13-member council of ministers by Chhattisgarh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been delayed as the 84-year-old mother of Chief Minister Raman Singh is battling for her life in a hospital here, party sources said Thursday.

Raman Singh cut short his trip to New Delhi and returned to Raipur Wednesday after his mother Sudha Singh slipped into a coma following a paralytic attack.

'Doctors told the chief minister that the blood circulation to his mother's brain has stopped after the paralytic attack,' a family source said.

Sandeep Dave, head of the Ramkrishna Care Hospital where Singh's mother is admitted, said her condition was 'very critical'.

An aide close to Raman Singh said BJP president Rajnath Singh had called the chief minister and told him that cabinet formation could be done later but he must look after his mother for now.

Raman Singh is expected to travel once more to New Delhi to finalise the selection of cabinet ministers at a meeting with Rajnath Singh.