LUCKNOW, NOV 17: The newly-formed Ram Prakash Gupta ministry was expanded today with the induction of 41 ministers including 14 of Cabinet rank, retaining all the remaining members of the previous Kalyan Singh team and exceeding its jumbo size of 89 by two new faces.All the newly inducted ministers belonged to the BJP with allies' quota already filled in the first round. Contrary to speculation that Kalyan loyalists might be sidelined, the only change was the elevation of Dhanraj Yadav, who was a minister of state under Kalyan Singh, to the Cabinet rank.The ministers were sworn in by Governor Suraj Bhan at a ceremony in Raj Bhawan. The portfolios would be distributed on Friday, the Chief Minister said. Gupta has chosen to send the message that he will not be rewarding dissidents. Kalyan loyalists, however, continue to be unhappy as their leader alone has been singled out for action.Those who wanted to see a new ministry were disappointed as all ministers have been repeated. The new faces inducted inthe government are Rajdhari Singh who was sworn in on the first day, Ram Babu Harit and Seema Rizvi.Gupta has inducted four women Premlata Katiyar, Prabha Dwivedi (Cabinet rank) Gulab Devi and Seema Rizvi (State Ministers). On the first day when 23 Cabinet Ministers including Ram Prakash Gupta and 27 State ministers were sworn in, women were not represented.The only Cabinet minister in the Kalyan Singh Ministry, who could not find a berth in the Gupta Ministry, was Raghubar Dayal Verma of the Samata Party. But he was not inducted on the advice of his party high command. A Shia Muslim, Seema Rizvi, daughter of the late Azaz Rizvi who was minister in the Kalyan Singh Ministry, has been inducted. It may be mentioned here that a section of Shia Muslims votes and supports the BJP candidates.All four ministers in the outgoing ministry from Uttaranchal, Ramesh Pokharial, Matbar Singh Kandari, Bansidhar Bhagat and Narain Ram Das have got berths. On November 12, only six ministers belonging to the BJP weresworn in. Others were from the allied parties the Loktantrik Congress, Jantantrik Bahujan Samaj Party, Janata Dal (Rajaram), the Samata Party and Independents. Among the Cabinet ministers, nine were from the LCP, four from JBSP, one each from the Samata and JD(R) and one Independent.Among the Cabinet ministers there are seven from Other Backward Castes and and two Dalits. Talking to media persons, Gupta stressed the need for unprecedented growth of the State. But it was not possible without eliminating corruption, he said.
