DEHRADUN: In a calibrated political move to rebalance regional and caste representation, the Uttarakhand Cabinet led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami was expanded on Friday.
Governor Gurmit Singh administered the oath of office and secrecy to five new Ministers at a ceremony held at Lok Bhawan at 10 am. With the latest inductions, the strength of the Cabinet has risen to 12.
The new Ministers are Madan Kaushik (Haridwar), Bharat Chaudhary (Rudraprayag), Pradeep Batra (Roorkee), Khajan Dass (Rajpur), and Ram Singh Kaida (Bhimtal).
The expansion comes three days before the government completes four years in office. Political observers view the move as part of the ruling BJP’s efforts to consolidate its position ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Since the formation of the government in 2022, three ministerial berths had remained vacant. The vacancies increased following the death of Transport Minister Chandan Ramdas in April 2023 and the resignation of Finance Minister Premchand Aggarwal in March 2025 amid a controversy. The filling of these positions is seen as an attempt to address regional aspirations and strengthen the party’s electoral base.
The expansion drew criticism from the Opposition Congress, which termed it a belated exercise.
Garima Mehra Dasauni, chief spokesperson of the State Congress, said the BJP was attempting to “mislead the public” ahead of the elections. “After four years of neglect of unrepresented constituencies, the BJP is now trying to distribute ‘revdis’ to gain political mileage. This will not benefit them,” she said.
The induction of senior leaders such as former State BJP president Madan Kaushik is seen as an effort to strengthen the party’s organisational structure and streamline its campaign strategy ahead of the polls. With the elections approaching, the Dhami government is expected to rely on the expanded Cabinet to deliver in the months ahead.