Uttarakhand's cabinet under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is expected to expand today with five new ministers potentially taking oath. This would be the first major reshuffle since the government's formation in 2022. The move is seen as crucial ahead of next year's assembly elections.
In Dehradun on 20 March 2026, Uttarakhand Raj Bhavan is set to host the oath-taking ceremony for five new cabinet ministers. Sources indicate that there are currently seven ministers including the Chief Minister, while the constitution allows up to 12 for the 70-seat assembly. The vacancies arose after the death of Chandan Ramdas and the resignation of Prem Chand Agrawal. State BJP president Mahendra Bhatt had stated that the organization urged the central leadership to fill these posts. The expansion considers MLAs' past performance and regional equations. Political circles highlight names like Khajan Das from Rajpur, Sarita Arya from Nainital, Pradeep Batra from Roorkee, Vinod Kandari from Devprayag, and Diwan Singh Bisht from Ramnagar. Some senior leaders may receive responsibilities at the state minister level. With assembly elections next year, this expansion is viewed as part of the party's strategy.
