Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit to Delhi and his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda has sparked speculation about portfolio allocation to newly sworn-in ministers and reshuffling of some existing portfolios.
Meetings Called Courtesy, But Sources Hint at Portfolio Talks
Though officials term the meetings as mere courtesy calls, sources indicated that since portfolios of a few existing ministers might be reshuffled to accommodate new ministers, the final decision rests with the top leadership in Delhi.
Cabinet Expansion on May 10
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expanded his Cabinet on May 10 by inducting six new ministers. Two existing ministers of state were elevated to the rank of Minister of State (Independent Charge). Among the six new inductees, two including former UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary and Samajwadi Party turncoat Manoj Pandey, who cross-voted during the Rajya Sabha elections 2024 in favor of the BJP, were sworn in as Cabinet-rank ministers. Four others—Krishna Paswan, Kailash Rajput, Surendra Diler, and Hansraj Vishwakarma—were sworn in as junior ministers.
Total Ministers Reach Maximum Limit
The addition of six new ministers to the Yogi Cabinet takes the total tally of ministers to 60, the maximum allowed in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Two existing ministers, including MoS Somendra Tomar and Ajit Pal Singh, were elevated as MoS (Independent Charge).
Major Departments Under CM
Among the major departments currently held by the Chief Minister are Home, Food and Civil Supplies, PWD, and Law. It is not yet clear whether the CM will relinquish any of these portfolios to the incumbents or existing ministers and then reshuffle the portfolios.
Central Leadership to Decide
Sources said that these intricacies would be worked out only after the nod of central leadership. "The CM's meeting with Shah and Nadda holds much significance. It is likely that the portfolios are allotted within the next couple of days," a source said.
