Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Expansion: The Uttar Pradesh cabinet expansion is likely to place on Tuesday, March 5.  Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections due later this year, the Bharatiya Janata Party may look to accommodate allies through the expansion of cabinet. 

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath met Governor Anandiben Patel at Raj Bhawan in Lucknow on Friday, March 1.  Yogi Adityanath was in Delhi for the BJP's key meet which deliberated upon the list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. As soon as he landed in Uttar Pradesh, he went to meet Governor Patel, signalling a possible cabinet expansion. Observers suggest that the cabinet expansion has been green signalled  by BJP's central leadership. 

It has been speculated since July last year that Yogi might expand his cabinet after Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party's OP Rajbhar returned to the NDA fold. 

With the Lok Sabha elections just months away, the BJP may be seeking to secure Uttar Pradesh- which contributes the highest numbers of MPs in Lok Sabha through adjustments in the cabinet expansion. The BJP may not only accommodate the new allies but also ensure representation to different regions of the state including Purvanchal and western Uttar Pradesh which is currently making headlines as farmers have resumed protest under the banner of Delhi Chalo March. 

List of Probable Ministers;

2 Ministers from RLD- Jayant Singh's Rastriya Lok Dal, which is yet to announce alliance with BJP after dumping INDI Alliance, may get two ministerial berths- one cabinet and one minister of state, said sources. RLD MLA from Purakzi in Muzaffarnagar district Anil Kumar is likely to be sworn-in as a minister. 

Jayant Singh had earlier said the decision to go with the NDA was taken after consulting his party MLAs and workers after the Bharat Ratna was announced for his grandfather Chaudhary Charan Singh.

OP Rajbhar- With OP Rajbhar's return to the NDA, the BJP may seek to ensure support by alloting a cabinet berth. On the question of cabinet expansion OP Rajbhar recalled how before the last elections, cabinet expansion took place both in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. “No such discussion has taken place yet. On the basis of last experience we can say that this time also there can be expansion before the code of conduct is imposed,” said Rajbhar.

 Akash Saxena - The BJP this time may look to reward MLA Akash Singh who wrested Rampur from the Samajwadi Party.  Saxena defeated Azam Khan’s close SP candidate Asim Raja in the Rampur Sadar Assembly by-election in the results announced on December 8, 2022. 

The Rampur seat has fallen vacant after Azam Khan was disqualified from the Legislative Assembly after the court sentenced him to three years in prison for delivering hate speeches.

Dara Singh Chauhan- Dara Singh's name is also doing rounds as observers suggest that BJP may give a ministerial berth to Dara Singh Chauhan. Chauhan, a party-popper, had won Ghosi seat in the last assembly election on a Samajwadi Party ticket, but left to join the BJP. 

After he lost the by-poll from Ghosi, the BJP successfully got him elected as a MLC. Earlier too he has served as the minister in the Uttar Pradesh government. Chauhan hails from an extremely backward class and his elevation may benefit BJP in projecting a pro-Backward image in the upcoming election. 

Apart from him BJP MLA from Sahibabad Sunil Kumar Sharma may also be picked as a minister in the Yogi cabinet.