Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is all set to expand his Cabinet later today with the induction of at least four new ministers.
The induction of new ministers is coming only days before the dates of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are announced.
Those to be inducted include Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief OP Rajbhar, Rashtriya Lok Dal’s (RLD) Anil Kumar and two from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — Dara Singh Chauhan and Sunil Sharma, according to sources.
Sunil Sharma has won the Sahibabad seat in Ghaziabad by a record margin in the 2017 and 2022 UP polls.
Rajbhar is likely to make a return to the Yogi Adityanath Cabinet, five years after he parted ways with the ruling BJP and quit the government. Anil Kumar is an RLD leader from West Uttar Pradesh. The RLD, which was a part of the INDIA bloc, recently switched sides and announced its alliance with the NDA.
UP Governor Anandiben Patel will likely administer the new ministers the oath of office by Tuesday evening, the sources said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a meeting of his cabinet on Tuesday morning.
The names of the new ministers were finalised by the BJP’s central leadership during a meeting held in the national capital last week. The announcement was, however, put on hold because of the BJP’s first list of candidates for Lok Sabha polls announced over the weekend.
The speculation about the cabinet expansion was doing rounds since Samajwadi Party legislator Dara Singh Chauhan quit his party and contested the by-poll from Ghosi on a BJP ticket. Though Chauhan lost the election, he was made an MLC from the BJP quota in January paving his way into the council of ministers in UP government.
Rajbhar severed ties with the Samajwadi Party and joined the BJP-led NDA in July 2023. Last week, he said he would not celebrate Holi if he was not made a cabinet minister.
The UP council of ministers has 52 members at present. At least eight more can join it as per the strength. The government comprises 18 cabinet-rank ministers, including two deputy chief ministers, 14 ministers of state with Independent charge and 20 ministers of state.
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it’s all here, just a click away! Login Now!
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More
Less
Published: 05 Mar 2024, 04:01 PM IST