Akhilesh sacks 8 ministers; nine lose portfolios

 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday sacked eight ministers, including five of Cabinet status, besides stripping nine others of their portfolios.

The move is seen as an attempt by the 42-year-old CM to stamp his authority and remove the perception of ‘multiple power centres’ in the state.

While the ousted Cabinet ministers included senior party leaders like Ambika Chaudhary, Narad Rai, Shivakant Ojha and Raja Mahendra Aridaman Singh, those who were stripped of their portfolios included controversial Independent legislator Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, Ahmed Hasan, Awadhesh Prasad, Durga Prasad Yadav, Ram Gobind Chaudhary and Bramha Shankar Tripathi.

Leaders of the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) said the sacking and withdrawal of portfolios were just routine exercises. “The senior leaders will be required in the field as the next Assembly poll is not very far,” said a senior leader here while speaking to Deccan Herald.

Inside sources, however, said the move was made since the CM was not happy with the performance of the outgoing ministers.

According to official sources here, the chief minister would undertake the Cabinet expansion, which would be the sixth after he assumed charge in 2012, on Saturday.

They also added that around a dozen new faces could be included in the Cabinet while new portfolios would also be allotted to the nine ministers.

‘Focus on western UP’
Sources in the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) said western UP could get more representation in the expanded Cabinet to “counter” the BJP as well as the efforts by the BSP to forge a Dalit-Muslim combination to reap electoral dividends in the region. The Muslim community, too, is expected to get more representation, sources added.

The Cabinet is also likely to feature young faces, they added. Incidentally many of the sacked ministers are considered close to the SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and the sacking was seen here by the political observers as an attempt by Akhilesh to ‘assert’ his authority.

Ever since the formation of his government, Akhilesh had been attacked by his detractors over what they alleged ‘multiple power centres’ in the state. The opposition parties also targeted Akhilesh by terming him as a “weak” chief minister.