UP cabinet expansion on Monday, perhaps last before polls

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will expand his cabinet on September 26 in perhaps the last reshuffle of his council of ministers ahead of the Assembly election in early 2017.

Governor Ram Naik will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at Raj Bhawan on Monday, a Raj Bhawan release said here tonight.

This will be the eighth expansion of the Akhilesh Yadav government since it assumed office in 2012.

The UP council of ministers can have 60 ministers and there are three vacancies at present.

Sacked Mines Minister Gayatri Prajapati is all set to be inducted as a cabinet minister as part of a compromise formula to end the recent family feud in the Yadav clan, but he may get a different portfoilo, sources said.