Akhilesh meets Governor Naik after activist says stop Prajapati induction

A DAY before Cabinet expansion, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday held aroundahalf-an-hour-longmeetingwithgovernorramnaikatraj Bhavan. The meeting took place after social activist Nutan Thakur met the Governor and requested him “not to re-induct (former miningminister)gayatriprajapati in the UP council of ministers”.

Sources said three leaders would be inducted into the Cabinet on Monday, including Prajapati and Ziauddin Rizvi, who could not take oath in July when the Cabinet was last expanded as he was abroad. The third name has not yet been sent to Raj Bhavan.

Naik said: “The chief minister met me to discuss the cabinet expansiononmonday.severalissues werediscussed.therearethreevacanciesandoathwouldtakeplace at 12 pm.”

Asked about Nutan Thakur’s application, he added: “She had already given me a memorandum. Today, she gave me a supplementary memorandum regarding the expected induction of a minister. I have told her that I would look into her issue.”

In her petition, Nutan said Prajapatiwasremovedasaminister on serious corruption charges after the order of the Allahabad Highcourtforacbiprobeandthe agency’s report was also presented before the court. She claimed that a minister is removed from office under Article 164 of the Constitution when he losesthepleasureofthegovernor.

Nutan claimed that when Prajapati was removed as minister, he had lost the pleasure of the Governor. Hence, he cannot be reinducted unless the facts and reasons on which he had lost the pleasure of the Governor get removed. “Today, when I met him personally, he told me that though as per Constitution, he is bound by the aid and advice of the chief minister, yet he will take legal advice at least on seeking a report on why was Prajapati first removed as minister and why he is being reappointed,” Nutan added.

Akhilesh had recently sacked Prajapati at a time when there were indications that the CBI was set to probe him.

Pramod Adhikari Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi in Lucknow on Sunday.