Portfolio allocation to new ministers in U.P.: OP Rajbhar gets three depts, Chauhan prisons

RLD’s Anil Kumar who gets science and technology and BJP’s Sunil Sharma is new minister for IT and electronics

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday allocated portfolios to his four newly sworn-in cabinet ministers, giving panchayati raj, minority welfare besides Muslim Waqf and Haj departments to Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar.

U.P. governor Anandiben Patel had administered oath of office to the four ministers in Lucknow on March 5. (HT file)

Much significance is being attached to the move of giving two important portfolios to Rajbhar who recently claimed that he was the most important minister of the Yogi government.

Other new ministers allocated portfolios include BJP MLC Dara Singh Chauhan who has been made minister for prisons, Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Anil Kumar who gets science and technology and BJP’s Sunil Kumar Sharma who is now minister for information technology and electronics. Governor Anandiben Patel had administered oath of office and secrecy to the four ministers at Raj Bhavan here on March 5.

CM Yogi has divested himself of the charge of panchayati raj department given to Rajbhar. The charge of minority affairs and Muslim Waqf and Haj departments has been taken away from minister for animal husbandry Dharam Pal Singh. Rajbhar, whose SBSP contested 2022 U.P. assembly elections in alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP), had in July 2023 announced his decision to make the SBSP a partner of the BJP-led NDA.

Chauhan, who is now minister for prisons, had lost Ghosi by-election after resigning as the SP MLA there. Minister of state (independent charge) Dharamvir Prajapati has been divested of the prison department’s portfolio and now given charge of the civil defence department which was also with Dharam Pal Singh till now.

Minister for higher education Yogendra Upadhyay held the charge of portfolios given to Kumar and Sharma now. Anil Kumar, who has been made minister for IT and electronics, was inducted to give representation to the RLD which has joined the NDA ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Chief minister now has 35 departments. Under the new allocation of portfolios, minister of state Ajit Pal will now remain attached to minister for science and technology Anil Kumar and minister for electronics and information technology Sunil Kumar Sharma. Minister of state for prisons Suresh Rahi has now been attached to Dara Singh Chauhan.