Akhilesh Yadav, Mayawati scoff at BJP's last-minute UP cabinet expansion; call it 'drama'

Scoffing at the UP cabinet expansion, UP LoP Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday, claimed that it was a hoax. Terming it a drama to represent all communities after four and a half years, he said the concluding 'drama' of BJP ahead of the polls had begun. He also pointed that the paint on the new ministers' nameplate would not be dry before the model code of conduct kicks in. Similarly, BSP chief Mayawati too accused the BJP of trying caste appeasement. The 403-seat UP assembly where Yogi rules with an iron-clad majority of 314 seats, is up for grabs in February 2022.

Akhilesh: 'Drama after 4.5 years'

On Sunday, the Yogi Adityanath expanded his state cabinet inducting seven new ministers - Jitin Prasada, Paltu Ram, Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar, Sanjeev Kumar, Sangita Balwant, Dharmvir Singh and Dinesh Khatik, taking the cabinet strength to 60. With caste equation in mind, Yogi inducted three SC ministers -  Sanjeev Kumar, Dinesh Khateek and Paltu Ram, three OBC ministers - Dharmvir Singh, Dr Sangita Balwant, Chatrapal Gangwar and the Brahmin face - Jitin Prasada. BJP also nominated 4 leaders - Sanjay Nishad, Gopal Anjan Bhurji, Virendra Gurjar and Jitin Prasada to the legislative council.

Previously in June, rumours of cabinet expansion flew after BJP UP in-charge Radha Mohan Singh met with Governor Anandiben Patel, but he refuted any such expansion. Later Prasada, who heads the Brahmin Chetna Manch and has often claimed that the Brahmin community has been “systematically targeted", was inducted into the BJP as Yogi's 'Brahmin face'. PM Modi's close aide -  AK Sharma who was appointed as BJP UP's Vice president fter PM Modi hailed his 'Varanasi model' of COVID handling too was in the running for a cabinet berth.

UP Polls 2022

With BJP fighting under the leadership of incumbent CM Yogi Adityanath, several fronts have cropped up to challenge the ruling BJP. While Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj has allied with AIMIM, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party; parties like AAP, Shiv Sena, Azad Samaj Party and JDU have announced that they will be contesting for the UP polls. SP chief Akhilesh Singh Yadav has stated that SP will only ally with smaller political parties for the 2022 Assembly polls, holding talks with Mahan Dal, NCP. Mayawati has already announced that her party will fight polls alone in UP and Uttarakhand, while allying only with Akali Dal in Punjab.  Congress has aggressively campaigned under the leadership of Priyanka Gandhi in the state, eyeing its solo return.