Trying to solve the jig-saw puzzle of cabinet combination that could prove a winning combination in next lok sabha elections Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav expanded his ministry by inducting two new ministers into the cabinet rank and elevating as many state ministers.
The two cabinet rank ministers were Narad Rai and Kailash Nath Yadav, while Ram Murti Verma, who was Minister of State backward Welfare and Milk Production, was elevated to Cabinet rank and Minister of State (Irrigation) Gyatri Prajapati was made Minister of State (Independent Charge).Governor B l Joshi administered the oath of secrecy to the new ministers and those who have been promoted at a simple ceremony held at the Gandhi hall of the Raj Bhawan on Thursday. In this third cabinet reshuffle of 15-month old Akhilesh Government Chief Minister gave prominence to eastern Uttar Pradesh - where Samajwadi party holds sway. Narad Rai, a Bhumihar by caste, hails from Ballia. He was minister in Mulayam Singh Yadav’s government but had failed to win favours with Akhilesh Yadav. Narad Rai’s induction as Cabinet minister seems important because of his influence among Bumihars,a caste found in eastern UP - spreading from Ballia to Varanasi and Ghazipur to Gorakhpur. Political pundits believe that if Rai’s caste brothers vote en mass in favour of Samajwadi Party they could influence election in five parliamentary constituencies.
Kailash Singh Yadav, a former minister, who is also inducted as Cabinet minister is legislator from Jangipur in Ghazipur. Minister of state for Backward Welfare and Milk Development Ram Murti Verma who hails from Ambedkarnagar has also been elevated to Cabinet rank. He is considered close to Samajwadi party national president Mulayam Singh Yadav. Minister of State for Irrigation Gayatri Prajapati has also been promoted as Minister of state (independent charge).
Gayatri, a staunch critic of the Congress, is an MlA from Amethi, the parliamentary seat of AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi. He has been rewarded for his continuous efforts to include 17 MBC into Scheduled Caste. Prajapati was in the forefront in party’s campaign to include MBC in SC and had held meetings across the state in which people gave good response.
However, Chief Minister left out women in this expansion. Shaadab Fatima, a Shia and legislator from Ghazipur and Dr Madhu Gupta, MlC were earlier in the list but their names were dropped in the last minute. Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav along with several state ministers and SP leaders were present on the occasion. With this expansion, the total strength of the state ministry has gone up to 58 out of the total quota of 60. At present, there are 21 Cabinet ministers including CM, six state minister with independent charges and 31 state ministers.