Mayawati lashes out at BJP, says UP Cabinet extension aimed at mobilising caste votes

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati lashed out at BJP-led Uttar Presh government, accusing it of trying to "mobilise votes" based on caste by inducting new ministers into Chief Minister Yogi ityanath's Cabinet, months before state votes to elect a new government. 

Taking to Twitter, BSP chief warned Uttar Presh voters about "dual character" of state's government, alleging that not only has BJP-led government failed to take any concrete steps for development of sections that BJP is allegedly trying to appease by inducting new ministers to UP CAbinet but it has also halted projects that were promised during her ministration in state. 

"Whoever has been me a minister by BJP yesterday to mobilise votes on basis of caste in UP, it would have been better if y did not accept it. Because by time y will understand ir respective ministries and try to do something, code of conduct for election will be implemented here," Mayawati wrote in her tweet.

"While present BJP government has not taken any concrete steps for development and upliftment of se sections of society, but most of works started by BSP government in ir interests have also been stopped. vice to se classes to be careful with this double-character of ir's (government)," BSP leer ded.

7 ministers inducted into UP Cabinet

On Sunday, seven new ministers were sworn in as members of Uttar Presh cabinet, ahe of Assembly elections scheduled for early next year.   move is being seen as an attempt to correct caste balance by giving more representation to most backward castes in UP Cabinet before state goes to poll next year.

Apart from Jitin Prasa, a Brahmin who resigned from Congress in June,  Dharmveer Prajapati, Chhatrapal Gangawar, Sangita Balwant Bind, Paltu Ram, Dinesh Khatik, and Sanjeev Kumar Gond were appointed to state Cabinet. While Prasa was me a minister, or six were appointed as ministers of state (MoS). 

Among m, Dharmveer Prajapati, Chhatrapal Gangawar, and Sangita Balwant Bind are from OBC community, Paltu Ram and Dinesh Khatik represent scheduled caste (SC) community and Sanjeev Kumar Gond belongs to Gond community.

Massive changes in BJP-ruled states

After Gujarat, Karnataka, and Uttarakhand, Uttar Presh is fourth BJP-ruled state to undergo big changes in its cabinet. Bhupendra Patel was sworn in as Gujarat's new chief minister earlier this month, succeeding Vijay Rupani. Following that, entire Gujarat cabinet was reshuffled.

BJP has h three chief ministers in Uttarakhand. Tirath Singh Rawat took over as CM after Trivendra Singh Rawat resigned. However, Pushkar Singh Dhami was later appointed in his place. In July, BS Yediyurappa was replaced in Karnataka chief minister by Basavaraj Bommai.

(With inputs from ANI, Image: PTI)