Caretaker UP CM Adityanath discusses govt formation with BJP leadership

Caretaker Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath discussed the government formation in the state with the BJP leadership here.

Sources said that the meeting held on Wednesday night, which lasted for more than two hours, at BJP chief J.P. Nadda's residence was also attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the party's national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh.

"Names and the number of Deputy Chief Ministers were discussed in the meeting. We have come to know that both the current Deputy Chief Ministers will be retained," sources said.

The names of Ministers were also discussed after reviewing the performance of the existing ones.

"There are over a dozen vacancies as some sitting Ministers lost the elections, while a few left the party before the polls. While finalising the names, social engineering and regional balance will be also considered," a party insider said.

After attending the swearing in ceremony of the Pushkar Singh Dhami government in Uttarakhand on Wednesday afternoon, Adityanath reached Delhi in the evening to discuss and finalise names of the Ministers for his new cabinet.

The Uttar Pradesh legislative party meeting will be held in Lucknow on Thursday, before the swearing in ceremony of the new Adityanath-led government takes place the next day.

Central observers Shah and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das will arrive in Lucknow on Thursday afternoon for the meeting.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Nadda, Union Ministers Shah, Rajnath Singh and others, along with the Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states and some prominent leaders and personalities have been invited for Adityanath's swearing in ceremony.

--IANS

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