UP CM swearing-in LIVE: Yogi Cabinet to have 43 ministers, say TV reports

1:39 PM Amid speculation that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pushed for Yogi Adityanath's elevation as the UP CM, the Sangh today said it was a political decision and the outfit had no say in the selection of chief ministers in BJP-ruled states. Replying to a specific question on choosing Adityanath, an RSS member, as CM, RSS Joint General Secretary Bhagaiah said it was a political decision. 

1:34 PM None of Yogi Adityanath's three immediate predecessors -- Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav -- was a member of the UP legislature when sworn in as the CM of Uttar Pradesh

1:33 PM As he takes oath as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh today, Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath will become fourth straight leader in the state who will become the CM without being a member of either house of the UP legislature.

1:29 PM One Muslim MLA, Mohsin Raza, to be part of Yogi Adityanath's Cabinet of ministers: TV reports

1:27 PM Yogi Adityanath's Cabinet to have 43 ministers, say TV reports

1:06 PM Expressing delight over the BJP legislature party's decision to elect Yogi Adityanath as its leader and the next CM of Uttar Pradesh, Union minister Uma Bharati said: "For me, Modi ji being the Prime Minister of India and my younger brother Yogi ji becoming Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is the best news of the 21st century." ANI quoted Bharati as saying: "Yogi ji will simultaneously focus on development and nationalism, which is like a slap on the face of leftists."

1:01 PM

Elaborate arrangements were underway on Sunday for the swearing-in ceremony of Yogi Adityanath as the Chief Minister, and Keshav Prasad Marya and Dinesh Sharma as deputy CMs of Uttar Pradesh. The state's Chief Secretary, Rahul Bhatnagar, Director General of Police, Javeed Ahmad, along with other senior officials visited the venue, Smriti Upvan park, to take stock of the preparations and security arrangements.

12:30 PM In his first brief media interaction at Raj Bhawan, where he went to stake claim to be the CM of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath had on Saturday said he would follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' slogan and exuded confidence that the state would march on the path of development. "I am thankful to Governor Ram Naik who invited me to form government in UP," he said. 

12:27 PM Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the lone Muslim minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, had on Saturday defended BJP's choice of Yogi Adityanath as the next UP chief minister, saying Adityanath would work for the party's "inclusive growth" agenda. Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Naqvi had said Adityanath would prove his critics wrong by his developmental work and emerge as the best chief minister. 

12:20 PM Hours after Yogi Adityanath being named as the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, the Congress Party said it would be a challenge for the former to fulfil the commitments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the elections campaigning. "I just want to say that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership had assured the people of the state and the country that they would give most efficient administration to Uttar Pradesh, they would bring development to the state and there would be no discrimination against the people. These three things BJP leadership will have to fulfil and there is a clear doubt on this. The challenge before Yogi Adityanath is to remove this suspicion of the people and to fulfil the commitments which the central leadership has made," ANI quoted Congress leader Rajeev Shukla as saying.

12:17 PM Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal said he expected Yogi Adityanath to change his 'fiery brand' image and work towards the betterment of the state. He further said his party would act like a proper Opposition and observe the government for six months, after which it would speak up against the odds, if needed.

12:16 PM Dubbing BJP's decision to make Yogi Adityanath Uttar Pradesh CM as the saffron party's 'biggest mistake', Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav had on Saturday said Ádityanath was 'Ayogya'(inept) for the post. Yadav further said there was internal conflict going on within BJP due to which groupism could be seen among party members.

12:08 PM There were similar scenes in Allahabad as well. BJP workers were seen celebrating after the announcement of Yogi Adityanath's name for the next chief minister of Uttar Pradesh

12:05 PM In Varanasi, BJP workers celebrated after announcement of the party's legistature party to choose Yogi Adityanath as its leader and the next CM of Uttar Pradesh

11:58 AM Earlier, after Yogi Adityanath, the five-time MP from Gorakhpur, was elected as the leader of the UP legislature party by BJP MLAs on Saturday, his city of Gorakhpur seemed to be rejoicing. Welcoming the decision, supporters in Gorakhpur burst crackers, expressing their happiness and excitement over their MP becoming the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

9:36 AM Also Read: Yogi Adityanath: The brazen face of aggressive Hindutva

9:34 AM Uttar Pradesh BJP President Keshav Prasad Maurya and BJP's National Vice-President Dinesh Sharma will take oath as deputy chief ministers.

9:33 AM He and his Cabinet will be administered the oath of office and secrecy by UP Governor Ram Naik in Lucknow's Kanshiram Memorial ground from 2:15 onwards

9:32 AM Yogi Adityanath, who was elected as the leader of BJP's legislature party in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Saturday will be sworn in as the state's chief minister today.