LUCKNOW: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is likely to take at least a day or two to pick best names to be inducted in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet.
The final list of those who will be named as ministers, nominated as MLCs and accommodated in various corporations and boards is expected on August 23.
Sources in the BJP told TOI that the names of at least 10-12 MLAs and leaders have been sent to the central BJP leadership for final approval.
The decision on UP cabinet expansion was taken during a meeting on August 19 which was attended by Union home minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh and UP BJP general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal.
As per the decision, Nishad party president Sanjay Nishad and recently-inducted former Congress MP Jitin Prasada would be accommodated. The Yogi government will first announce the nominations for MLCs which will be followed by cabinet expansion.
A senior BJP leader told TOI the expansion would take place this month itself if everything goes as per plan.
According to sources, Sanjay Nishad and Jitin Prasada may get BJP nomination for MLC seats. Four MLC seats have been lying vacant since July 4. Since Jitin Prasada would be nominated in all likelihood, former UP BJP chief Laxmikant Bajpai might have to wait for elevation.
Even though it is most likely that Nishad and Prasada would be inducted in the Yogi government, if Nishad fails to make it to the cabinet, one MLA from the Nishad community may be inducted. The name of Sangeeta Bind Balwant, an MLA from Ghazipur, is doing the rounds. The names of Ram Chandra Pradhan and OP Srivastava, who is the treasurer of BJP’s Awadh region, are also doing the rounds for MLC nomination. Total 6-7 MLAs and MLCs are likely to be inducted in the cabinet.
The party may accommodate one minister each from Dhobi, Valmiki, Gurjar and Jat communities. From Gurjar community, Somendra Tomar or Tejpal Nagar could be inducted. The party might induct at least two MLAs from Dalit quota. Khair MLA Anup Pradhan and Kerakat legislator Dinesh Chaudhary are on the list of probables.
The party’s think-tank would make adjustments keeping caste and social equation in mind, sources said and added that barring one Brahmin minister, others could be either Dalit or OBC.
