UP: Many ex-ministers fail to get ministerial berth

Lucknow, March 25 : While many new faces have been inducted and given important assignments in the Yogi’s new council of ministers, there are several senior and prominent faces of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who failed to make their way this time. Former Deputy Chief Minister Dr Dinesh Sharma, about whom it was being speculated that he would be retained, has been dropped. Eight-time MLA and former Industrial Development Minister Satish Mahana too failed to find favours this time. Another prominent face which has been dropped is grandson of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and ex-MSME Minister Siddharth Nath Singh, who was also the spokesperson of the state government. Former Medical and Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh is one of the leaders, who have not been included in the ministry this time. It was being speculated that former Energy Minister Shrikant Sharma would be made minister, but he too has not been inducted in the cabinet. Son of veteran BJP leader Lalji Tandon’s son and former Urban Development Minister Ashutosh Tandon too failed to make it in the Yogi ministry. Former Jalshakti Minister Dr Mahendra Singh is also a prominent face missing in the new council of ministers. Former Excise Minister Ram Naresh Agnihotri, too has been omitted from the new council of ministers. Former Tourism Minister Dr Neelkanth Tiwari, who was holding the independent charge in the previous regime, too has been ignored this time. Besides, there are a number of ministers who lost elections. They include former cabinet ministers Suresh Rana, Rajendra Pratap Singh alias Moti Singh, former Ministers of State (Independent Charge) Upendra Tiwari and Satish Dwivedi. AB GK

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