After the statement of Samajwadi Party national president Mulayam Singh Yadav that leaders would be awarded for their efforts to ensure victory in assembly by-elections, has raised speculation of cabinet expansion of the Akhilesh Yadav government during Navratra which started on Thursday.
Party sources said September 29 could be the D-day when cabinet expansion could be carried out. At present there are four vacancies in the UP ministry with 56 ministers including the CM. UP can have 60 ministers maximum, which is 15 per cent of the total strength of the state assembly.
During a meeting Mulayam Singh Yadav had announced that the leaders whose hard work ensure victory of party in 8 out of the 11 assembly seats would be awarded. It is believed that lucky ones would be from these constituencies where party had tasted success.
There is a speculation that SP MlA from Ayodhya Tej Narain Pandey alias Pawan Pandey, who was unceremoniously sacked from the UP ministry, could be reinstated while two more ministers would be accommodated.
The Akhilesh Yadav government which took oath on March 15, 2012, has already gone for three expansion in the past two and a half years.