With the appointment of Pankaj Chaudhary as the new BJP state president in Uttar Pradesh, the party’s long-pending organisational reshuffle is now complete in the state. This also clears the way for the long-awaited expansion of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet. The Uttar Pradesh Council of Ministers can have up to 60 members, of which only 54 are now filled.
Speculations are rife that there could be a third deputy minister, besides Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak.
Several names are doing the rounds, including outgoing UP BJP President and senior Jat leader Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary. Many believe the party leadership will reward Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary with a cabinet post. Before taking charge of the party organisation in 2022, Bhupendra Chaudhary had served as the Panchayati Raj Minister and was considered instrumental in strengthening the BJP’s outreach to the politically influential Jat community in Western UP.
#WATCH | Lucknow, UP: BJP announce new UP State BJP President, Minister Kapil Dev Agarawal says, "... The party is getting a good mentor under Pankaj Chaudhary's leadership. He is a seven-time MP, and his experience will guide us. He understands the emotions of the party… pic.twitter.com/dqoJ97za8r
— ANI (@ANI) December 14, 2025
Butit is still uncertain whether he will occupy the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
With OBC leader Pankaj Chaudhary now leading the state BJP unit, the party is also considering bringing a Scheduled Caste (SC) leader to a prominent ministerial post to maintain social balance. While Maurya belongs to the OBC segment, Pathak is Brahmin, so the third name could be from the SC community.
Former MP Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti is considered the strongest contender for this position.
Other names include Pankaj Singh, son of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and MLA from Noida and Samajwadi Party rebel leaders Puja Pal, Manoj Pandey and Mahendra Singh. Mahendra Singh is currently the BJP’s election in-charge for Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, Manoj Pandey, a rebel Samajwadi Party MLA from Unchahar, is also being considered a potential contender for a ministerial post.
Meanwhile, the cabinet expansion could include representation not only from the BJP but also from the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Apna Dal. The cabinet expansion is expected anytime after Kharmas, that is, at the end of January. The BJP aims for its organisation and government to be in complete political alignment in the coming election year.
