UP cabinet expansion speculation: Akhilesh Yadav takes a swipe at CM Yogi

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the rumoured UP cabinet expansion, suggesting it was a central move to erode CM Yogi Adityanath's power. He also demanded greater reservation for women and took a swipe at the state's Deputy CMs.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday gave air to the speculation over a cabinet expansion in Uttar Pradesh and took a swipe at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, questioning whether the Centre signalled the move. In an X post, Akhilesh Yadav also demanded greater representation for women in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet. He also alleged that the cabinet expansion was a move to erode CM Yogi's power in the State. "Has the chit from Delhi arrived yet? Heard that the cabinet expansion is happening in UP, or rather, let's say there's 'katav-jhatav' (erosion) in the Chief Minister's power. They should at least ask those who already have a place in the cabinet," Yadav said.

Yadav Demands Women's Reservation

He further demanded a reservation for women in the cabinet expansion and said, "We demand that women be given a reservation in the UP cabinet expansion."

Alleges Internal Rift in UP BJP

Alleging an internal rift between the UP BJP leadership, he took a veiled jibe at Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak. Accusing the deputy CMs of "mischief," the Samajwadi Party leader asked if they were behind the decision to expand the cabinet. "By the way, this question is also stirring around: Will the 'next-door' pair get up to any mischief, or will they just keep peeking from the 'next-door' or merely make reels?" he said.

Speculation Follows CM-Governor Meet

The speculation began when Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Governor Anandiben Patel at Lok Bhavan in Lucknow on Saturday.

At present, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet has 21 ministers, including CM Yogi and the Deputy Chief Ministers. The speculations came as the State gears up for the 2027 Legislative Assembly elections, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is looking for a third consecutive win. (ANI)

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