Dehradun: Discussions regarding cabinet expansion in Uttarakhand resurface every four to six months. Now, a statement by BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt has once again sparked discussions about cabinet expansion. Before leaving for Delhi, Mahendra Bhatt issued a statement in Dehradun, stating that he had discussed cabinet expansion with the Chief Minister two days ago. Another meeting is scheduled in Delhi, and discussions will be held in this area after this meeting. He added that some developments will be seen soon. Whatever happens will be public knowledge.
This statement by BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt has fueled discussions about cabinet expansion in Uttarakhand. MLAs hoping for cabinet positions are now excited. It is believed that a decision on this matter will be made soon. It is worth noting that the BJP’s national president is also scheduled to be announced in December. There is widespread speculation that a cabinet expansion in Uttarakhand may take place after the national president’s announcement.
Earlier, when the Bihar elections were underway, it was believed that the Uttarakhand cabinet expansion would take place after the Bihar elections. Some political experts also believed that if the Bihar election results were unfavorable, it would have a significant impact on Uttarakhand. However, when the Bihar election results favored the NDA, it was believed that no major changes would be seen.
It should be noted that this is Pushkar Singh Dhami’s longest tenure as Chief Minister in the second BJP government in Uttarakhand. Now, with only a year and a quarter remaining for the upcoming Uttarakhand Assembly elections in 2027, BJP workers in Uttarakhand have long been hoping that they will enjoy some of the pleasures of power after the cabinet expansion and the distribution of responsibilities. However, the BJP’s influence was recently seen in Bihar as well, which has led to a lack of hope for BJP workers in Uttarakhand.
Five seats vacant in Dhami’s cabinet: It’s worth noting that five seats in the Dhami cabinet have been vacant for a long time. Three seats were vacant since the formation of the government under CM Dhami’s leadership in 2022. However, the death of Cabinet Minister Chandan Ramdas in 2023 and the resignation of Cabinet Minister Premchand Agarwal on March 16, 2025, left two more vacant seats. Thus, five seats are currently vacant in the Dhami cabinet.
