UP Govt 2.0: Lone Muslim Minister, 5 Women Candidates In Yogi's New Cabinet — Know In Details

The new ministry sworn in on Friday includes 52 ministers, including 18 in cabinet rank, and the government now has a new complexion.

Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as the 33rd Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on Friday evening in a mega event attended by stalwarts of the Bharatiya Janata Party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and a galaxy of chief ministers from BJP-ruled states.

Adityanath was administered the oath of office by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel at the Ekana Stadium which was flooded by over 75,000 people including BJP workers and supporters.

Just like his previous terms, Adityanath's new cabinet again has two Deputy Cheif Ministers - Keshav Maurya and Brajesh Pathak - who took oath during the ceremony. 

The new ministry sworn in on Friday includes 52 ministers, including 18 in cabinet rank, and the government now has a new complexion. Let's take a look at ministers included in Yogi Adityanath's Cabinet 2.0:

Danish Azad Ansar - BJP's Lone Muslim Minister In UP

In one of the most surprising addition, BJP has included young leader Danish Azad Ansari, who replaced Mohsin Raza as the Muslim face in the Yogi government 2.0.

Said to be one of Adityanath's close aides, the 32-year-old leader from eastern Ballia has been associated with BJP's student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) since his student days in 2011.

Ansari has not contested Assembly election yet, therefore he will now have to take membership of either the Legislative Council or Legislative Assembly to work as a minister in Yogi's new cabinet. 

He was made the General Secretary of the minority front in October 2021, just before the 2022 assembly elections. Ansari is currently State General Secretary of BJP's Minority Morcha.

5 Women Ministers In Adityanath's New Cabinet

Since women voters were a key factor behind the BJP’s victory in UP, the party has included five women ministers in Adityanath's new cabinet. They are - Baby Rani Maurya, Gulab Devi, Pratibha Shukla, Rajni Tiwari and Vijay Laxmi Gautam. Adityanath's first cabinet in 2017 also had 5 female ministers.

The 65-year-old Dalit leader Baby Rani Maurya, who resigned from the post of Uttarakhand Governor last year, has taken a plunge into active politics with being sworn-in as an Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister.

Baby Rani Maurya had joined the BJP in 1995 and then became the mayor of Agra. Post that, she has held several positions in the party. She was also one of the frontrunners for the post of Deputy CM post.

The 59-year-old MLA from Salempur Assembly constituency Vijay Laxmi Gautam took oath as a minister in Yogi Adityanath's new cabinet. She was the president of BJP Mahila Morcha's Deoria Nagar. 

Another woman leader Pratibha Shukla has been made minister of state in the Yogi's new cabinet. She has won from Akbarpur-Raniyan assembly seat. Shukla, who was early associated with BSP, had joined BJP just before 2017 Assembly elections.

Rajni Tiwari has taken oath as the Minister of State in Adityanath news cabinet. The 42-year-old politician was elected MLA from Shahabad assembly seat of Hardoi district.

Gulab Devi has taken oath as Minister of State with independent charge. She has won from Chandausi assembly seat in Sambhal district. Gulab Devi became MLA for the fifth time this year. She defeated SP candidate Vimlesh Kumari by 35,420 votes. 

However, Aparna Yadav, the younger daughter-in-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was also tipped to become a minister, was not on the list.