Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav expanded his Cabinet on Monday for the eighth time since assuming office in March 2012, supposedly for the last time before 2017 Assembly polls. Ten Ministers, including Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, Manoj Pandey and Shivakant Ojha, earlier sacked by the CM were sworn in by Governor Ram Naik at function at Raj Bhavan on Monday.
A Minister of State, lakshmi Kant Nishad aka Pappu was dropped by the CM. With the latest expansion, the strength of the council of minister has reached the maximum limit of 60 Ministers. With this, there are 33 Cabinet Ministers, nine Ministers of State with independent charge and 18 Minister of State taking the total number to 60.
With an eye on the next Assembly polls, Akhilesh Yadav inducted three Brahmin Ministers including two new entrants while a Minister of State was promoted to the Cabinet rank.
Besides, four new Ministers were inducted and six Minister of State were promoted to Cabinet rank.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav along with his brother and state SP chief Shivpal Singh Yadav, several Ministers and party leaders were present at the oath ceremony.
The new Cabinet Ministers are Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, Shivakant Ojha, Manoj Kumar Pandey and Ziauddin Rizvi. The minister of state promoted to cabinet rank are Abhishek Mishra, Ravidas Mehrotra, Riyaaz Ahmed, Shankhlal Manjhi, Narendra Verma and Yasir Shah.
For the first time in recent past, the oath ceremony was held during ‘pitrapaksh’ — considered a inauspicious period in the Hindu calendar.
Prajapati earned the unique distinction for being administered oath of office for the fourth time in one Government headed by the same Chief Minister. He was earlier sacked on September 12.
Ojha and Pandey were made Ministers for a second time after being dropped during the earlier Cabinet reshuffle. Ziyauddin Rizvi was the first to take oath in Urdu.
High drama was witnessed during the ceremony when Prajapati touched the CM’s feet thrice after taking the oath of office. What is more, Prajapati jumped to touch the feet of Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shivpal Singh Yadav earning an immediate rebuke from the Governor who asked
him to maintain the dignity of the occasion.
Earlier on Sunday, social activist Dr Nutan Thakur met and petitioned the Governor against reinducting Prajapati into the Cabinet. The Governor told her that though as per Constitution, he is bound by the aide and advice of the CM, he would take legal advice on the issue raised that why was Prajapati first removed as Minister and then was being re-appointed. He also said that he might seek information from the CM under Article 167 of the Constitution. later on
Sunday evening, the CM called on the Governor to clarify his stand.