Lucknow: Controversy shrouds the expansion of the Akhilesh Yadav ministry on Monday with a social activist throwing a spanner by challenging before governor Ram Naik the possible re-entry of former mines minister Gayatri Prajapati. This will be the eighth expansion of the Akhilesh Yadav government since it assumed office in 2012. The UP council of ministers can have 60 ministers and there are three vacancies at present. Prajapati began as minister of state (MoS) for Irrigation in February 2013 and was moved to mining, directly under Yadav who handled that portfolio. In July 2013, Yadav elevated Prajapati to MoS (independent charge) and in January 2014, he was made a cabinet Minister.

Source: Mint September 25, 2016 14:48 UTC