Lucknow: Seeking to make the party poll-ready for the 2017 Assembly elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhikesh Yadav today expanded his ministry rewarding those showing good results and upped the presence of youth in it. After dropping some old guards and close aides of his father and party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav two days ago, Akhilesh gave responsibility to the likes of Arvind Singh Gope, Shadab Fatima, Nitin Agarwal, Ram Sakal Gurjar and Yasir Shah.

Gope and Yasir Shah have been elevated for their good performance. They were junior ministers earlier.

Taking note of continued criticisms of his father on non-performing ministers, Akhilesh had dropped some important names from the ministry with the aim of shunning extra baggage. Seeking to keep the minority vote-bank intact, the chief minister gave six members of the minority community berths in the new reshuffle. The party imported Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, a former Akali Dal leader, from outside the state to give representation to Sikh community in the ministry.

Interestingly, the likes of Shailendra Singh Lalai and Pawan Pandey, who had lost the confidence of the party high command over some controversies, found favour although Vinod Kumar alias Pandit Singh despite courting controversies continued to enjoy the confidence of the party high command and was promoted to a cabinet rank.

There was, however, disappointment among a section of party leaders which felt that those who remained loyal and worked hard in the organisation have been ignored yet again.
Two senior Samajwadi Party leaders whose names were being discussed -- Ashok Bajpai and Lilawati Kushwaha -- failed to make it to the council of ministers.
Source: PTI