Uttar Pradesh got the best deal in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet expansion as seven new Ministers were inducted in the Union Cabinet on Wednesday with an aim to fix the caste and the regional balance in the politically crucial State that will go to polls in next six months.
Incidentally, one Minister from Uttar Pradesh, Santosh Gangwar, resigned earlier in the day taking the total number of Ministers from UP in the Union Cabinet, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to 17. Hardeep Puri, who is Rajya Sabha MP from UP, got an elevation in his rank and was sworn in as Cabinet Minister. He was earlier Minister of State in the Urban Development ministry.
In selecting new entrants, the Prime Minister has ensured that the “active” castes, having high representation in population, could get representation in the Union Cabinet too. Among the seven new faces that were inducted into the Modi’s Cabinet two are from the backward community, two from the OBCs, two Dalits. Ajay Kumar Mishra, first time MP from Khiri, is the Brahmin face among the new entrants.
Not only the caste, even the regional balance was taken care of during expansion.