6 New Faces Likely to Be Inducted into the Cabinet(Cabinet ) 

Lucknow: The hearts of MLAs in Uttar Pradesh, who have been aspiring to become ministers, are beating faster with anticipation. The expansion of the Yogi cabinet  (Cabinet )   is set to take place today. On Saturday evening, CM Yogi met with the Governor. The new ministers will be administered the oath of office at 3:00 PM this Sunday afternoon. According to sources, six new ministers could be appointed during this cabinet expansion. Based on the total number of MLAs in UP, the cabinet can accommodate up to 60 ministers.

6 New Ministers Likely to Be Appointed
Following the Lok Sabha elections, two members of the UP cabinet—Cabinet Minister Jitin Prasada and Minister of State Anoop Pradhan Valmiki—were elected as Members of Parliament (MPs). Currently, the council of ministers comprises only 54 members, including the Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers. Of these, there are 21 Cabinet Ministers, 14 Ministers with Independent Charge, and 19 Ministers of State. Thus, there is room to appoint six additional ministers to the Yogi cabinet.

According to sources, the party high command was initially considering dropping a few existing ministers; however, it is now reported that this course of action will not be pursued. Instead, only six new MLAs will be inducted into the cabinet. Consequently, speculation is rife regarding who will ultimately make the cut and become a minister.

Pooja Pal and Manoj Pandey Emerge as Frontrunners
During the Rajya Sabha elections held in 2024, seven MLAs from the Samajwadi Party (SP) engaged in “cross-voting” in favor of the BJP. It is widely believed that two of these MLAs—Manoj Pandey and Pooja Pal—are likely to be appointed as ministers. Manoj Pandey belongs to the Brahmin community, while Pooja Pal belongs to the OBC category.

Pooja Pal Had Cross-Voted in the Rajya Sabha Elections
Pooja Pal is the wife of the late Raju Pal, a former MLA from Allahabad. The mafia don Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were the prime accused in the murder of Raju Pal. Pooja Pal had contested the 2022 Assembly elections on a Samajwadi Party ticket; however, she cross-voted during the Rajya Sabha elections and subsequently made statements critical of Akhilesh Yadav within the Legislative Assembly. As a result, Akhilesh Yadav expelled her from the party last year. Bhupendra Chaudhary May Also Be Appointed as a Minister
Additionally, it is considered all but certain that Bhupendra Chaudhary—the former President of the UP BJP—will be appointed as a minister. Meanwhile, Krishna Paswan and Ashok Kataria are also likely candidates for ministerial posts. Surendra Diler’s name is also currently under discussion, while the names of Hansraj Vishwakarma and Asha Maurya are also being floated for ministerial positions. According to sources, a reshuffle of portfolios among some existing ministers may also take place.

Yogi Adityanath assumed the office of Chief Minister in 2022, marking the beginning of his second term. During this tenure, the first expansion of the UP Cabinet took place in March 2024. With the Legislative Assembly elections in UP scheduled for 2027, it is widely believed that special attention will be paid to regional and caste-based equations during this cabinet expansion.