CM Dhami Expands Uttarakhand Cabinet, Adds Five Ministers Before Elections
Dhami inducts five ministers, expanding Uttarakhand cabinet ahead elections.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expanded the Uttarakhand Cabinet on Friday by inducting five Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs as ministers, strengthening his administration ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The swearing-in ceremony took place at Raj Bhavan in Dehradun, where the new ministers—Khajan Das (Dehradun), Madan Kaushik (Haridwar), Pradeep Batra (Roorkee), Bharat Chaudhary (Rudraprayag), and Ram Singh Kaida (Nainital)—took oath at 10 a.m. This move fills the five vacant positions in the Council of Ministers, bringing the total strength to the constitutional maximum of 12 members, including the Chief Minister.
The expansion follows a reduction in cabinet size due to a minister's death and resignation since the BJP's 2022 victory, when nine ministers were initially sworn in. Dhami's decision signals confidence in his leadership after becoming the first Uttarakhand CM to secure re-election, defying typical pre-poll reshuffles.
The new inductees represent diverse regions, balancing political and geographic interests across Dehradun, Haridwar, Roorkee, Rudraprayag, and Nainital. Their organizational experience is expected to bolster the government's developmental agenda and BJP's electoral strategy in the hill state.
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This development occurs as Uttarakhand enters the final year of its term, amid discussions on governance continuity. Dhami has emphasized stability and performance, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of making the 2020s Uttarakhand's decade through unity and growth.
The cabinet now operates at full capacity, poised to address key priorities like infrastructure, tourism, and disaster management in the strategically vital state bordering China and Nepal. Political observers view the expansion as a calculated step to consolidate BJP's position before the polls.
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