Yogi cabinet expansion BJP to reset caste equations before 2027 elections

The ‘Dhami Effect’ hits Uttar Pradesh: CM Yogi Adityanath prepares for strategic reshuffle with an eye on balancing caste equations and placating the Brahim community

Is Yogi cabinet expansion on the cards with an eye on 2027 elections?

High-level Lucknow meet triggers talk of cabinet expansion, a move seen as a strategic reset to address simmering caste dissatisfaction and organisational bottlenecks

Shilpi Sen
22 March 2026 10:09 AM IST (Updated:2026-03-22 05:28:02)

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Following the recent cabinet reshuffle in neighbouring Uttarakhand, the spotlight has returned to Uttar Pradesh.

According to sources, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is poised to expand his council of ministers as early as the first week of April, a move seen as a strategic "reset" to address simmering caste dissatisfaction and organisational bottlenecks.

The momentum picked up after a high-level coordination meeting at the Chief Minister's residence on Friday (March 20). The session included key power players: CM Yogi Adityanath, RSS Joint general secretary Arun Kumar, deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, the newly-appointed UP BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary and the organisational secretary Dharampal Singh.

Many issues were discussed at the meeting, including cabinet expansion, it is learnt.

Breaking the deadlock

Earlier, the expansion faced multiple delays, previously attributed to the BJP’s national leadership being occupied with the Bihar elections and the election of the BJP national president. However, political insiders suggest the deadlock was primarily due to the complex challenge of balancing the state's intricate caste arithmetic formula before the 2027 assembly elections.

Also read: With Dalit votes at stake, SP, BSP battle over Kanshi Ram's legacy

As the party looks toward the 2027 assembly elections, this reshuffle is viewed as a major opportunity to boost the image of Yogi Adityanath-led government.

When the Pushkar Singh Dhami cabinet was reshuffled in Uttarakhand, the talks on cabinet expansion in UP have once again intensified, said sources.

A shake-up

A senior party official said that organisational activities, including the election of the national president had kept the leadership busy. Now, the new state president has to form a team, and a clearer picture will emerge because many people can also be sent from the government to the organisation.

The expansion will not just be about adding more to the cabinet. Several sitting ministers may be transitioned back into organisational roles within the party to make room for fresh blood. While no major changes are expected at the top of the hierarchy, a significant reshuffle of portfolios is on the cards to improve administrative efficiency, said party sources.

OBC and Brahmin equation

Political analysts are linking the delay in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet expansion to the challenge of balancing caste equations. The BJP election strategy hinges on consolidating its hold over non-Yadav OBCs, while simultaneously extinguishing fires within its traditional Brahmin base.

The BJP has been focussing on OBC politics in Uttar Pradesh for some time, continously trying to woo non-Yadav OBCs.

Also read: Why UP’s Brahmins are the eye of 2027 electoral storm

To woo the Kurmi community, the second largest caste after the Yadavs, and to send a message to Kurmi voters, the party, after much deliberation, had appointed Union Minister Pankaj Chaudhary as state president. This has resulted in both the Chief Minister and the BJP state president hailing from the same region.

Recently, by appointing former Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti as the chairperson of the Backward Classes Commission, the BJP leadership has sent another message to OBC voters in UP. Despite this, it is believed that an OBC face may get a seat in the upcoming cabinet expansion.

The challenge for the party, however, is to address Brahmin representation since there is a lot of discontent among the upper caste and particularly, the Brahmin voters in the state.

Brahmin resentment

For some time now, there have been reports of Brahmins being unhappy with the government.

One of the major reasons is the ill-treatment of Shankaracharya's 'Batuk disciples' by pulling their tufts in the Magh Mela bathing controversy. The new UGC rules have also upset many.

Therefore, it has become important for the party to woo the Brahmins while expanding the UP cabinet. Along with this, consensus will also have to be reached between the party's top leadership and the UP Chief Minister over names for the cabinet expansion. There has been talk of tussle between the government and the party over this matter for a long time, revealed sources.

SP rebels in reckoning

Speculation is rife over the names to be included in the Yogi cabinet expansion in view of the current caste and other political equations. The final list, however, will be approved by the central leadership.

Currently, sources said that the top leadership will remain intact, with one or two current ministers who may move to organisational roles to make room for new faces. A near-certain addition in the Yogi government is former BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, whose return to the cabinet would secure vital representation for Western Uttar Pradesh.

The inclusion of Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, former BJP president and minister in the Yogi cabinet is considered almost certain. His inclusion will provide representation to western Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, a Dalit face from the Awadh region may also be included.

To mend ties with the Brahmin community, two slots are likely reserved for Brahmin leaders; names in circulation include a party MLC and high-profile Samajwadi Party (SP) rebel Manoj Pandey.

It is almost certain that a woman will be made a minister in the cabinet expansion. The name of Pooja Pal, who rebelled against the SP, can be made a minister.

Pooja Pal, wife of former BSP MLA late Raju Pal, had supported BJP during the Rajya Sabha elections. After which, she thanked Yogi Adityanath in the Assembly for his 'anti-mafia' stand and action against Atiq Ahmed, who was involved in the murder of her husband. This public praise led to her expulsion from the SP.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Desh.)

Yogi AdityanathBrahminsUP assembly electionCabinet expansion

About the AuthorShilpi Sen

Shilpi Sen is Assistant Editor with The Federal Desh.