Akhilesh to expand cabinet, RLD to get berth

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was likely to expand his cabinet to accommodate Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Ajit Singh's son Jayant Chaudhary signalling an electoral alliance between the Samajwadi Party (SP) RLD in the forthcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh due early next year.

Akhilesh on Tuesday called on the state governor Ram Naik triggering speculation of yet another cabinet expansion.

According to the sources in the SP, Ajit Singh had recently met the SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and had discussed a tie-up, especially in the western region of the state, where the RLD had a support base among the powerful 'Jat' community.

Extended support

RLD had extended support to the SP nominees in the recently held state legislative council and Rajya Sabha biennial polls.

Though a section of the SP was not very enthusiastic about the alliance, Mulayam and senior leader and UP minister Shivpal Singh Yadav were not averse to an electoral understanding.

SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav had opposed the alliance with RLD. Shivpal however said that the SP would everything possible to keep the ''communal forces'' at bay.

RLD, which had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Congress, had drawn a blank and even Ajit and Jayant Chaudhary had failed to win in their respective bastions.

Ajit Singh, according to the sources, had sounded out the BJP but the latter had rejected any kind of understanding with the former. Sources said that the chief minister might also change the portfolios of some ministers.