In hint at Cabinet reshuffle,CM says change essential

“Every change is for better. It is part of governance and keeps happening,” Akhilesh replied to a query during a press conference at his secretariat. However,he did not give any date for the reshuffle. “It will happen and when it occurs you all will know about it beforehand,” he stated.

SP president Mulayam Singh Yadav had held a meeting with Akhilesh,PWD Minister Shivpal Yadav and party general secretary Ramgopal Yadav at his residence on Sunday where the subject of ministry reshuffle was reportedly discussed.

Akhilesh had last reshuffled his ministry on February 7 and inducted 12 ministers,including one of cabinet rank,and 11 ministers of state ,one of whom was given an independent charge. All of them were from communities outside the SP’s base of Yadavs and Muslims. Presently,the Akhilesh ministry has a strength of 56,which includes 18 cabinet ministers including the CM,and 38 MoS.

The CM,meanwhile,received cheques worth Rs 44 lakh from legislators and others for the Uttarakhand flood relief fund. “We are doing our best. There is no exact count of persons from UP who are missing in Uttarakhand. We are in touch with the Uttarakhand government,” he added.