Fissures in UP cabinet, minister skips meeting at Kumbh

Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar Tuesday stayed away from the state cabinet meeting held at the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, alleging the issues raised by him were "ignored" by the government.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and almost all his senior ministers took a dip at the Sangam following the unique cabinet meeting at the venue of the Kumbh Mela itself.

"I did not go to the cabinet meeting as the issues I have been raising are sidelined and other issues are taken up," Rajbhar said.

On whether he would participate in the future cabinet meetings, the minister said it would depend on the course of action adopted by the Adityanath government on the matter raised by him.

The Backward Classes Welfare and Department of Disabled People minister has been demanding that a part of the Other Backward Class (OBC) quota in government jobs and higher educational institutions be earmarked for the most backward castes and 'Mahadalits'.

The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief also had a word of caution for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who recently forayed into active politics.

He said Gandhi should not take the risk of contesting elections from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency Varanasi.

Posters urging Priyanka Gandhi to contest the coming general elections from Varanasi-- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency-- had come up in the holy city last week.

Rajbhar added he was open to an alliance with the Shiv Sena, both in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, and that he was going to Mumbai for a party programme on February 17.