Akhilesh Yadav ministry to be expanded tomorrow

LUCKNOW: The 19-month old Akhilesh Yadav ministry in Uttar Pradesh will be expanded tomorrow with the induction of a minister, the fifth such exercise since the formation of the government in March last year.

Official sources said the new minister will be administered oath in the Raj Bhawan.

The party, however, did not disclose the name of the person.

The last expansion of the ministry was held on October 11 when Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya was re-inducted after CBI gave a clean chit to him in Deputy SP Zia-ul-Haq murder case in Kunda.

With a total of 59 ministers, one Cabinet berth is still vacant. At present there are 22 Cabinet ministers including the chief minister, six state ministers with independent charge and 31 ministers of state.

The possibility of elevating one or two junior ministers to cabinet rank was also not ruled out by the ruling Samajwadi Party.