UP govt formation: Yogi Adityanath meets JP Nadda to give last-minute touch to his ministry

New Delhi, Mar 23: Ahead of the grand swearing-in ceremony, Uttar Pradesh chief minister-designate Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday met BJP president J P Nadda to discuss the formation of government in the state.

It is certain that Adityanath will be retained as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh while Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has to take a call on the names of deputy chief ministers.

Several names have come up during discussions, including former chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, who lost the assembly elections, Dinesh Sharma, Baby Rani Maurya, Brijesh Pathak, Swatantar Dev Singh and AK Sharma, they said.

Reportedly, the BJP may continue with Maurya as deputy chief minister.

Many in the party believe that the BJP will renominate Shrikant Sharma as minister while newly-elected MLA and former Enforcement Directorate officer Rajeshwar Singh may also be given a chance.

The oath taking ceremony of the Adityanath-led government will be held on Friday in a mega event at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ikana stadium in Lucknow.

It is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with several cabinet ministers and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states.

The BJP stormed to power by winning 274 seats out of 403, becoming the first party in over three decades to form a government for a second consecutive time in the state.