UP cabinet expansion likely today, former Congress leader Jitin Prasada, 6 others may get ministerial berths

The UP cabinet expansion is likely to take place this evening at Raj Bhavan in Lucknow.

File Photo (PTI)

New Delhi: Months ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to expand his cabinet on Sunday evening (September 26, 2021). The cabinet expansion may see as many as seven new faces, including former Congress leader Jitin Prasada, getting inducted as ministers in the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government. 

As per reports, the UP cabinet expansion may be held this evening at the Raj Bhavan in the state capital Lucknow.

Lucknow | UP cabinet expansion to be held this evening at Raj Bhavan: Sources — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 26, 2021

However, there's no official word on this yet.  

Nishad Party's Sanjay Nishad is also one of the other names that are front runners among the list of new ministers. Sangeeta Balwant Bind, Chhatrapal Gangwar, Sanjay Gaur, Dharmveer Prajapati, Palturam, Tejpal Nagar, Baby Rani Maurya and AK Sharma are the other names that are doing the rounds.

#VIDEO : 'मिशन 2022' वाला मंत्रिमंडल विस्तार! @VishalKalra_ @Ravi_ZeeNews @myogiadityanath #YogiAdityanath #BJP

LIVE - https://t.co/asaJAv45ul pic.twitter.com/3jXe1FoOaH

— Zee News (@ZeeNews) September 26, 2021

This, notably, will be the third time that the Cabinet will be expanded in the poll-bound state. 

With this, Uttar Pradesh will also become the fourth BJP-ruled state where a major rejig will take place. Earlier this month, Bhupendra Patel replaced Vijay Rupani and was sworn in as Gujarat`s new chief minister. The entire Gujarat cabinet was changed subsequently. In Uttarakhand, the BJP had changed its CM three times and chose Pushkar Singh Dhami after the resignations of Trivendra Singh Rawat and Tirath Singh Rawat. In Karnataka, BS Yediyurappa stepped down and was replaced by Basavaraj Bommai. 

Meanwhile, the oath taking ceremony of the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Punjab cabinet will also take place today at the Raj Bhawan and may see the induction of seven new faces. 

Met Hon'ble Governor of Punjab Banwarilal Purohit Ji. The oath taking ceremony for the Punjab Cabinet expansion will be held at the Raj Bhawan on 26th Sept at 4:30 PM. pic.twitter.com/z60gS4Qw7B — Charanjit S Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) September 25, 2021

As per reports, Pargat Singh, Raj Kumar Verka, Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Sangat Singh Gilzian, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Kuljit Nagra and Rana Gurjit Singh are expected to be included in the cabinet.

Congress is also likely to retain Vijay Inder Singla, Manpreet Singh Badal, Brahm Mohindra, Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Aruna Chaudhary, Razia Sultana and Bharat Bhushan Ashu from the Amarinder Singh government. However, five ministers, namely Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Balbir Singh Sidhu, Gurpreet Singh Kangar and Sunder Sham Arora, part of the Singh government, may be dropped.