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UP Cabinet Expansion: Bhupendra Chaudhary, Manoj Pandey Among Six New Ministers

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expanded his council of ministers by inducting six new members on Sunday. The expansion is seen as a strategic move to balance caste and regional equations ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. Former BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary and former Samajwadi Party MLA Manoj Pandey were among the prominent inductees. The reshuffle fills all six vacancies in the cabinet, which now has 60 ministers including the chief minister.

Key Points: UP Cabinet Expansion: Six New Ministers Inducted

  • Six new ministers inducted into Yogi Adityanath's cabinet
  • Bhupendra Chaudhary and Manoj Pandey among key inductees
  • Expansion aimed at balancing caste and regional equations ahead of 2027 polls
  • Two ministers of state also promoted
2 min read

UP Cabinet Expansion: Bhupendra Chaudhary, Manoj Pandey among six sworn in as Ministers

Yogi Adityanath expands UP cabinet with six new ministers including Bhupendra Chaudhary and Manoj Pandey, ahead of 2027 assembly elections.

"The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would continue to work with greater commitment and speed for the development of the state. - Krishna Paswan"

Lucknow, May 10

In a significant political move ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday carried out the much-anticipated expansion of his Council of Ministers, inducting six new ministers and promoting two Ministers of State in an apparent bid to strike a balance between caste, regional and organisational equations.

Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly inducted ministers at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan in Lucknow.

Former Uttar Pradesh BJP president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary was the first to take oath as a Cabinet minister, underlining his growing importance within the party, particularly in western Uttar Pradesh. He was followed by Manoj Pandey, a prominent Brahmin leader and former Samajwadi Party MLA, who recently joined the BJP.

The other leaders inducted into the ministry include Surendra Diler, Krishna Paswan, Hansraj Vishwakarma and Kailash Rajput. In addition, Ministers of State Ajit Pal and Somendra Tomar were elevated, reflecting the BJP's effort to maintain administrative and regional balance within the government.

Speaking after taking the oath, Krishna Paswan said the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath would continue to work with greater commitment and speed for the development of the state.

The Cabinet reshuffle is being viewed as part of the BJP's broader social engineering strategy ahead of the Assembly polls. Of the six newly inducted ministers, one belongs to the Brahmin community, three are from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and two are Dalit leaders.

Political analysts believe the inclusion of Manoj Pandey is aimed at strengthening the BJP's outreach among Brahmins, while the induction of Bhupendra Chaudhary is expected to bolster the party's standing among Jat voters and in western Uttar Pradesh.

They also see the expansion as an attempt by the BJP leadership to reinforce social representation, regional inclusivity and coordination with allies before the high-stakes 2027 elections.

The previous expansion of the Yogi Adityanath government during its second term had taken place on March 5, 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, when Om Prakash Rajbhar, Dara Singh Chauhan, Anil Kumar and Sunil Sharma were inducted into the Cabinet.

Under constitutional provisions, Uttar Pradesh can have a maximum of 60 ministers, including the Chief Minister. Before Sunday's expansion, the Yogi Cabinet had 54 ministers, leaving six vacancies, all of which have now been filled.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Manoj Pandey joining BJP from SP and now becoming minister shows how politics works in UP. Hope he focuses on education and job creation for youth, especially in eastern districts. Caste equations matter, but voters care about electricity and roads too! 😊
V
Vikram M
Smart move by Yogi ji - bringing in OBCs, Dalits and Brahmins together. This is classic BJP social engineering. But I'm concerned about what happens to the poor farmers and daily wage workers. The real test will be how these ministers perform in their departments, not just their caste. 🙏
S
Siddharth J
I'm happy to see Krishna Paswan and Hansraj Vishwakarma getting representation. Dalit and OBC empowerment is important. But I wish the government would also focus on transparent recruitment for government jobs and controlling inflation. Youth are struggling despite all this political drama.
R
Rohit P
BJP is clearly planning for 2027 - filling vacancies now shows they want a stable team. But where is the representation for women? Only one female minister in the entire cabinet? That's disappointing for a state with so many strong women leaders. Hope this gets addressed soon.
K
Kavya N
Well, another cabinet expansion, but UP's basic problems remain - broken roads, poor healthcare in villages, and unemployment. I hope Manoj Pandey uses his SP background to reach out to opposition voters, but sweet words won't fill empty stomachs. Let's judge by action, not caste math! 💪

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