Uttar Pradesh: Day After Taking Oath, Jitin Prasada, Six Others Get Portfolios

Former Congress leader Jitin Prasada was appointed Cabinet Minister for Technical Education.

Once a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, former Union Minister Jitin Prasada had joined the BJP on 9 June.

(Photo: The Quint)

A day after expanding his team ahead of the Assembly Elections next year, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Monday, 27 September, allocated portfolios to the seven ministers who took oath in the state's new Cabinet on Sunday. The seven names comprise a Brahmin, three OBCs and three ministers from SCs.

Jitin Prasada was appointed Cabinet Minister for Technical Education, Dr Sangeeta Balwant Bind was named Minister of State for Cooperatives, and Dharamveer Prajapati was named the Minister of State, Industrial Development.

Sanjiv Kumar was appointed Minister of State, Social Welfare, and Hastinapur MLA Dinesh Khateek was made the Minister of State for MoS Jal Shakti.

Paltu Ram, who was earlier with BSP, was given charge of Home Guards and Soldiers (Servicemen) welfare. Bahedi MLA Chhatrapal Gangwar was named Minister of State for Finance.

Earlier in the day, while interacting with NDTV, Former Congress leader Prasada, once considered close to Rahul Gandhi, said, "It is not about promotion or demotion, it's about the intent to serve the people and whatever opportunity and responsibility I have got I am thankful to the BJP leadership, especially to the PM (Narendra Modi), Home Minister Amit Shah, JP Nadda and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath."

Chhatrapal Gangwar, Dharamveer Prajapati and Dr Sangeeta Balwant Bind belong to the OBC community, while Dinesh Khateek and Paltu Ram are from a Scheduled Caste. Sanjiv Kumar belongs to a Scheduled Tribe.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, unlike some of his counterparts in other BJP-ruled states who could not complete their terms, is trying to send a message that he is in control of things in the state. However, last-minute reshuffle and caste balancing could be seen as an attempt to avert a crisis.

Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav, president of the Samajwadi Party, called the cabinet expansion of the BJP government of UP a 'hoax'.

"Today, a drama is being created to represent those who (did not) get their due for four-and-a-half years. Before the ink on their nameplates (at their new offices) dries, the Model Code of Conduct will kick in," he tweeted. "The concluding point of the BJP drama has begun," he added.

(With inputs from ANI and NDTV)