Poll defeat notwithstanding, Keshav Prasad Maurya becomes Yogi’s deputy for second time
Keshav Prasad Maurya had served as the UP deputy chief minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet from 2017 to 2022.
Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday took oath as the deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the second consecutive time in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet. Maurya was sworn in by governor Anandiben Patel at the jam-packed Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
The former MP from the Phulpur parliamentary constituency had served as the UP deputy chief minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet from 2017 to 2022.
The party chose to retain Maurya in the cabinet, despite his 2022 assembly poll defeat from Sirathu constituency. Brajesh Pathak was also sworn-in as the other deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Maurya had lost against Samajwadi Party's candidate Pallavi Patel by 7,337 votes. Patel bagged 46.49 per cent votes against Maurya’s 43.28 per cent.
Maurya has started his political career with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). He had contested Assembly elections in 2002, 2007 and 2012. The second-time deputy chief minister is said to have a significant influence over OBC voters.
Adityanath was sworn in as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the second straight term on Friday at a grand ceremony in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, defence minister Rajnath Singh, Union home minister Amit Shah, several Union Ministers, chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and party leaders.
Also read: Yogi's new UP cabinet to have over 50 ministers: Full list here
Some other cabinet ministers who took oath include Surya Pratap Shahi, Suresh Kumar Khanna, Swatantra Dev Singh, Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, Jayveer Singh, Dharampal Singh, Nand Gopal Gupta, Bhupendra Singh Choudhary among others.
