- By Imran Zafar
- Sat, 02 Mar 2024 12:29 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Governor Anandiben Patel on Friday to discuss the cabinet expansion, sources said. The swearing-in ceremony could take place in Lucknow on Sunday, depending on the Governor’s schedule.
The cabinet expansion is expected to include leaders from SBSP, RLD and BJP, who have recently joined or returned to the NDA. The move is seen as a way to woo the backward castes and strengthen the alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP is likely to include its allies SBSP, RLD and former minister Dara Singh Chauhan in the cabinet expansion in Uttar Pradesh. SBSP President Om Prakash Rajbhar and Dara Singh Chauhan, who represent the Rajbhar and Lonia Chauhan communities respectively, are expected to be made ministers. Two out of the nine RLD MLAs who defected from SP and joined NDA may also get ministerial seats.
The cabinet expansion has been speculated since July last year, when SBSP returned to NDA and Dara Singh Chauhan rejoined BJP. Chauhan, who lost the by-election, was nominated to the Legislative Council by BJP. RLD, which recently expressed its support for BJP, is also eyeing a share in the cabinet.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath returned from Delhi on Friday after attending the BJP Central Election Committee meeting. He presented the Governor a book titled 'Rom-Rom Mein Ram' during their meeting at Raj Bhavan, which was officially termed as a courtesy call.
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Governor Anandiben Patel is on a tour of Varanasi and Mirzapur and will return to Lucknow on Saturday evening. She is also scheduled to visit Mathura and Agra on Monday and Tuesday. Meanwhile, the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections may come into force any time between March 10 and 15, making the cabinet expansion imminent.