In a significant development, Om Prakash Rajbhar, president of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), and Dara Singh Chauhan met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Thursday.

The meetings, preceding Shah’s scheduled visit to Lucknow, have sparked speculations about the expansion of the Yogi Adityanath cabinet in Uttar Pradesh.

After the discussions, Rajbhar said that a range of issues, including UP politics and the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, were deliberated with the Union home minister.

Rajbhar, sharing snapshots of his meeting with Amit Shah on social media, said discussions with Shah centered on including Bhar/Rajbhar castes in the Scheduled Tribes. They also discussed social problems of the Banjara caste, and issuing of caste certificates for Gond and Kharwar castes.

“The talks also encompassed various issues concerning the welfare of marginalised and exploited classes,” he said.

Rajbhar had previously met Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda on December 31 and discussed cabinet expansion and seat-sharing, fueling speculation of his potential inclusion in the upcoming cabinet expansion.

According to sources in BJP, the day and date for the cabinet expansion in Uttar Pradesh are likely to be decided during Amit Shah’s visit to Lucknow.

“The proposed date of Shah’s visit is January 5, but in case of cancellation of the visit due to bad weather, it will be rescheduled after January 9,” a BJP leader said.

Speculations abound that Dara Singh Chauhan is poised to secure a place in the Yogi cabinet. Despite losing the Ghosi assembly by-election, Chauhan is expected to be appointed as a minister after being inducted into the UP Legislative Council.

The expected cabinet expansion is strategically aligned with preparations for the 2024 elections. Currently, eight ministerial positions are vacant in the UP government, with vacancies arising after the appointment of Bhupendra Chaudhary as the president of BJP’s UP unit. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is presently overseeing the responsibilities of the vacant position of minister in the Panchayati Raj department.

The upcoming visit of Amit Shah to Lucknow will also involve meetings with the leaders of the Uttar Pradesh BJP organisation to discuss preparations for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

With 80 Lok Sabha seats at stake in UP, BJP is leaving no stone unturned to consolidate its vote bank in the state. The party is gearing up to play a pivotal role in securing power at the Centre for the third time.