The Uttarakhand Cabinet, under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, welcomed five new ministers in a recent expansion. The swearing-in ceremony, held at Lok Bhavan, saw Governor Gurmit Singh administering the oath of office. Among the new ministers are BJP MLAs Khajan Das, Madan Kaushik, Pradeep Batra, Bharat Chaudhary, and Ram Singh Kaira.
The cabinet expansion follows a period of vacancies in ministerial posts within the state government. This move brings the Dhami government closer to the constitutionally allowed strength of 12 ministers in the state cabinet. Initially, when the BJP formed its second government in Uttarakhand in 2022, Dhami and eight ministers took oath. However, unforeseen events led to a reduction in the cabinet’s strength over time.
Discussions on cabinet expansion had surfaced multiple times over the past four years, with the latest reshuffle seen as a significant political development ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Party leaders had indicated ongoing consultations with the central leadership regarding the expansion, emphasizing the government’s commitment to development and good governance.
The induction of these new ministers is expected to bolster the state government’s operations and administrative efficiency as Uttarakhand gears up for the political challenges preceding the 2027 Assembly elections.
