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Analysts say she had to take care of her leadership rivals for the sake of party unity, but fortunately for Wynne her two closest competitors — Sandra Pupatello and Gerard Kennedy — don’t have seats in the legislature and don’t have to be given plum posts.

Cabinet speculation started circulating the minute Wynne was crowned as Dalton McGuinty’s replacement at the leadership convention Jan. 26, especially on which loyal backbenchers could finally get promoted to the Liberal front rows, such as Sandals and Sudbury’s David Orazietti.

The premier-designate has promised to also find cabinet positions for leadership rivals Eric Hoskins and Harinder Takhar, even though Takhar supported Pupatello after dropping out of the leadership race.

Wynne already announced that in addition to being premier, she will also be sworn-in as agriculture minister to raise the Liberals’ profile in rural ridings, where they were virtually wiped out in the 2011 election that reduced them to a minority government.

Wiseman called the agriculture appointment a “peculiar” move that would be unlikely to convince any rural ridings to vote Liberal in the next election.

The Progressive Conservatives said if Wynne wants to send the right signal that she’s ready to reduce the size and cost of government she will bring in a cabinet of 16 ministers, far fewer than the 22 McGuinty had before the leadership race.

“I think that would be a good start, something that we suggested long ago,” said PC critic Monte McNaughton.

However, some observers expect Wynne may actually increase the size of cabinet Monday as she rewards those who supported her and promotes backbenchers who can help put a new face on the governing party’s front benches.

The New Democrats said they were taking a wait and see approach to the new cabinet, but expected to see a lot of familiar faces.

“Many of the people that are probably going to be in cabinet are going to be some of the same people that have been there before,” said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.