The Uttar Pradesh cabinet is likely to undergo a major expansion on Sunday evening, in what is being seen as a significant political recalibration by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Adityanath met Governor Anandiben Patel at the Lok Bhavan in Lucknow before the swearing-in exercise. Six ministers are likely to take oath, while the portfolios of several existing ministers could also be reshuffled. The expansion will take place at 3.30 pm in Lucknow.
According to sources, at least six new faces are being considered for induction into the council of ministers. The names doing the rounds include Bhupendra Chaudhary, Manoj Pandey, Pooja Pal, Hansraj Vishwakarma and Krishna Paswan.
Sources further indicated that one Minister of State with independent charge could be elevated to the rank of Cabinet minister.
The proposed expansion is learnt to have been planned with an eye on the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, with the BJP focusing on caste and regional representation as part of a wider social balancing strategy.
WHO ARE THE NEW LIKELY MINISTERS?
Among the likely entrants is Bhupendra Chaudhary, a Jat OBC leader from Moradabad and former Uttar Pradesh BJP chief who is currently a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC).
Another key name is Manoj Pandey, a Brahmin leader and MLA from Unchahar in Rae Bareli who rebelled against the Samajwadi Party before moving closer to the BJP camp.
Pooja Pal, an OBC leader from the Pal community and MLA from Chayal in Kaushambi, is also among the probable inductees. She too is considered a rebel from the Samajwadi Party.
Sources further said Ashok Kataria, a Gurjar OBC leader and MLC from Bijnor, is likely to find a place in the expanded cabinet.
Two leaders from the Pasi community are also expected to be accommodated. These include Krishna Paswan, an SC leader and MLA from Khaga in Fatehpur, and Suresh Pasi, a Pasi community leader and MLA from Jagdishpur in Amethi.
At present, the Uttar Pradesh government has 54 ministers, while the maximum permissible strength of the council of ministers is 60.
The development comes at a politically crucial time for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which is looking to consolidate its social coalition after the setbacks it faced in Uttar Pradesh during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party is expected to use the cabinet expansion to send a message to key caste groups and regions ahead of the next state election battle.
Adityanath first became Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2017 after the BJP swept the Assembly elections, defeating the alliance led by Akhilesh Yadav and the Samajwadi Party-Indian National Congress combine. The BJP returned to power again in 2022 under his leadership, defeating the Samajwadi Party-led opposition and making history by becoming the first party in nearly four decades to retain power in Uttar Pradesh consecutively.
In the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly, the BJP currently has 255 MLAs on its own, while its allies, including the Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Nishad Party, take the NDA tally comfortably past the majority mark. The Samajwadi Party remains the principal Opposition force in the state Assembly.
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