Uttar Pradesh: Ex-IPS Asim Arun likely to make it to Yogi cabinet

LUCKNOW: Even as Yogi Adityanath was elected the leader of BJP's legislative party on Thursday, the suspense continues over the names of his deputies and his ministerial colleagues.
However, sources said that the Yogi Cabinet 2.0 will most likely have two deputy CMs just like the first term. While the name of Keshav Prasad Maurya as the first deputy CM is almost final, discussions are still going on over the second name.
Dr Dinesh Sharma, who held the position in the first term, continues to be a strong contender this time too.Besides, there are still thin chances of being a third deputy CM. Agra Rural MLA and former Uttarakhand governor Baby Rani Maurya is a front-runner for this position. While her induction into the cabinet is being considered certain, sources said that if she takes oath as a third minister after the CM, there are strong chances that she would be the third deputy CM.
Decisions on deputy CMs and portfolios to be allotted to the ministers would be decided in a day or two, said a highly placed source.
Among a few new faces that could be sworn in on Friday include retired IPS officer and Kannauj Sadar MLA Asim Arun. The retired IPS officer could get MoS independent charge. Arun, sources said, suits the BJP politics which of late has shifted its focus on roping in Jatavs among Dalits in the run-up to Lok Sabha election. The BJP think tank believes that after the assembly elections, Mayawati's BSP has turned ineffective and its loyal Jatav vote could further shift in a large chunk by the Lok Sabha elections.
Similarly, former IAS officer AK Sharma could also get a cabinet berth. Among probable cabinet ministers, names of Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary, Siddharth Nath Singh, Mahendra Singh, Brajesh Pathak, Suresh Khanna, Surya Pratap Shahi, Satish Mahana, Ashutosh Tandon, Jai Pratap Singh are considered strong contenders.
Among other new faces, Congress turncoat and now BJP MLA from Rae Bareli Sadar, Aditi Singh is also likely to make it to the Yogi ministry. Similarly, Ballia Sadar MLA Daya Shanker Singh is likely to make the cut and so is Sahibabad MLA Sunil Sharma, who won by a record 2.14 lakh votes.
However, there is a suspense as of now over energy minister Shrikant Sharma and Ramapati Shastri. Both were senior ministers in the previous government.
Among women MLAs, the name of Hathras MLA Anjula Mahor is also doing the rounds. Similarly, veteran BJP leader Ram Naresh Agnihotri could again make it to the ministry. Chances of Shriram Chauhan making it to Yogi Cabinet 2.0 is also not being ruled out, sources said.