Lucknow, May 17 -- The allocation of portfolios to ministers inducted and promoted in the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet last week has been delayed due to pending approval from the BJP's central leadership, sources said.
According to party insiders, the state leadership is yet to receive clearance from the Centre on the proposed distribution of departments, resulting in uncertainty over the final allocation of portfolios.
The matter is now expected to be resolved only after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his foreign visit on May 20.
Sources said consultations between the Uttar Pradesh leadership and the party high command are continuing, but consensus has not been reached on some key departments.
The delay has also stalled appointments to vacant posts in state corporations and boards, besides holding back the announcement of the BJP's new Uttar Pradesh state team.
Another round of discussions is likely on Monday in Raipur where Union Home minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are expected to attend the meeting of the Central Zonal Council.
Chief ministers of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh will also participate in the meeting.
The Cabinet expansion took place on May 10 and portfolio allocation was expected soon after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's meetings with Amit Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda in Delhi.
However, sources said the final approval from the central leadership is still awaited.
Party insiders said lists for appointments to corporations and boards, including names for ministers of state with rank, had already been prepared. The BJP leadership had planned to announce these appointments along with the new state team immediately after the cabinet expansion.
But with the portfolio allocation issue still pending, the entire exercise has been put on hold for the time being.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.