UP leads the pack with 12 berths, Bihar close on its heels with nine

NEWDELHI: India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, continued to enjoy the highest number of berths in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s council of ministers, courtesy its political significance.

The state where the BJP has come to power after 15 years now has 12 ministers in Team Modi in a clear indication that after two big victories in 2014 and 2017, the Prime Minister doesn’t want the political advantage to slip away.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha poll, the BJP bagged 71 of 80 seats in UP, helping the party wrest power with a record victory.

The BJP kept the momentum going in the state during the assembly elections held earlier this year and after 15 years, the saffron party managed to form the state government on its own.

Modi also represents UP in the Lok Sabha as he chose to retain his Varanasi seat.

The revamped team of ministers also underlines the growing importance of the BJP in states such as Bihar and Odisha.

Another key Hindi-belt state, Bihar, will be represented by no less than nine ministers now.

Keen to hold its ground in the times of a coalition government with JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, the BJP added two ministers from the state — Ashwini Choubey and RK Singh — and elevated Giriraj Singh. Sources indicated that the induction of new ministers is in anticipation of the entry of the JD(U) in the cabinet and maintain the balance between Kumar’s party, which has just two MPs in the Lok Sabha, and the ruling BJP.

The elevation of petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan, an MP from Bihar, is aimed to address the support base in Odisha where the BJP has started gaining ground.

The total number of ministers now stands at 75, excluding the Prime Minister.

There are 57 ministers from Lok Sabha, while only 18 are from Rajya Sabha.