Bebi Devi, wife of late Education Minister and JMM leader Jagarnath Mahato is set to take oath as cabinet Minister in the Hemant Soren government on July 3.

The ruling party’s move to provide the rank of a cabinet minister to Bebi Devi is mainly twofold. First, she is Kurmi( Mahato), an OBC and to back late Minister Jagarnath Mahato’s family and supporters is to gain humanitarian ground.

Two, it is meant to appease the Kurmi( Mahato) caste who constitutes a vast section of electorates in many constituencies of North and South Chotanagour divisions in Jharkhand.

Though it is not known the portfolio she will get, speculation is rife that there can be a reshuffle in portfolios or she will gain the portfolio of her late husband i.e. Education.

Jharkhand minister Jagarnath Mahto died on April 6 at a hospital in Chennai. He was 56.

Bebi Devi may contest from Dumri, an assembly constituency her husband had represented as JMM MLA in the state Assembly. She has recently met top JMM leaders including their supremo Shibu Soren.