CM Yogi Adityanath may expand cabinet ahead of UP Elections 2022; check list of probable ministers

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Expansion: In a big political move ahead of next year’s Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath may soon expand his cabinet to accommodate some sulking leaders as well as to set right the poll equation. According to a report, the BJP government is planning to induct leaders from communities like Nishad, Jat, Gurjar and Brahmin to counter the narrative set by the opposition.

CM Yogi Adityanath had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda amid the talks of cabinet expansion. According to the ABP News, leaders like Jitin Prasada, Ashish Patel, Sanjay Nishad, Ravi Sonkar, Manju Sivach, Sahendra Singh Ramala, Tejpal Nagar, Sangita Balwant Bind, Somendra Tomar, Sanjay Gond, Mahendra Pal Singh and Rahul Kaul are among the key contenders.

Notably, Jitin Prasada had joined the BJP in June this year after quitting the Congress. He is a popular Brahmin face and the BJP may also make him a Member of the Legislative Council after elevating him as a cabinet minister. By making Prasada a minister, the BJP will hope to counter the narrative being set by the opposition that the ruling party is anti-Brahmin. To pacify the sulking voters of the Gujjar community, Yogi may make Somendra Tomar and Tejpal Nagar ministers while to get the votes of the Nishad community, Sanjay Nishad and Sangeeta Balwant Vind may be inducted into the UP cabinet. Manju Siwach and Sahendra Ramala may represent the Jaat community in the Yogi Cabinet after expansion. The BJP will try to woo the farmers through these two faces.

At present, there are 54 ministers in the Yogi cabinet including 23 cabinet ministers, 9 independent charge ministers, and 22 ministers of state. According to the rules, 6 berths are vacant at present. While there are around 12 probable names, it will be interesting to see whether CM Yogi inducts only 6 of them and keeps the existing cabinet unchanged or goes for a reshuffle by stripping some of the existing ministers of their portfolios.