Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav elevated two state ministers to Cabinet rank and inducted a new face in his Council of Ministers on Saturday. This was the fifth expansion of the Council of Ministers of the Samajwadi Party Government that came to power last year.
Governor Bl Joshi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the two elevated ministers, Manoj Kumar Pandey and Minister of State with Independent Charge, Gayatri Prasad Prajapati.
However, senior MlA Shivakant Ojha, who has been included in the Akhilesh Yadav Cabinet, could not take the oath as he was out of station and was unable to attend the swearing-in ceremony. He will be administered oath on his return as per the orders of the Governor.
Besides Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, the other dignitaries present at the swearing-in included Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, several ministers and people's representatives, Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani, Principal Secretary to Governor, Rajiv Kapoor, Principal Secretary to CM, Rakesh Garg, Director General of Police Rizwan Ahmad and other senior officers.