Dehradun, March 20 – Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inducted five new ministers into the state cabinet on Friday, bringing the total number to 12. The legislators who will now serve as ministers in Dhami's cabinet are Bharat Singh Chaudhary (Rudraprayag), Khajan Dass (Dehradun), Mandan Kaushik (Haridwar), Pradeep Batra (Roorkee), and Ram Singh Kaira (Bhimtal).
Mandan Kaushik is a member of the BJP National Executive Council and previously served as the president of the Uttarakhand BJP.
Khajan Dass, a former minister in the previous Uttarakhand government, also previously served as the state BJP vice-president.
The remaining three – Ram Singh Kaira, Bharat Singh Chaudhary, and Pradeep Batra – are reportedly first-time ministers.
The oath of office was administered by Uttarakhand Governor Gurmit Singh at Lok Bhavan at 10 a.m.
With the induction of five new ministers, the Uttarakhand cabinet has reached its maximum strength of 12, officials said.
Uttarakhand CM also used his social media handle, X, to personally greet each minister and extend good wishes for the fulfillment of their responsibilities in their new roles.
Congratulating Madan Kaushik, CM Dhami wrote, "Heartfelt congratulations on taking the oath as a Cabinet Minister. Your extensive political experience and organizational capabilities will infuse the government's developmental initiatives with new energy and direction."
Greeting Khajan Dass, the legislator from Rajpur Road (Dehradun), CM Dhami said, "Your sharpness in public relations and seriousness on issues related to public welfare will certainly lend greater breadth to the impact of the government's public welfare schemes."
The Chief Minister extended greetings to the three other ministers, praising their achievements and valuable contributions in public life.
He said that Bharat Singh Chaudhary, with his deep understanding of the needs of the hilly regions and dedication to public service, will strengthen the balanced and inclusive development of the state.
"Your experience, active leadership, and dedication to public service and development works in the state will gain even greater strength," CM Dhami said about Pradeep Batra, the legislator from Roorkee.
He also welcomed Bhimtal MLA Ram Singh Kaira into the cabinet, expressing confidence that his service will impart new momentum and direction to various developmental initiatives of the state.
"Infinite best wishes for a bright future and the successful fulfillment of this new responsibility," CM Dhami wrote in a post on X.
Notably, the cabinet expansion was under consideration for a long time but kept getting delayed. Now, with the state government expanding its capacity to full, this is seen as a move to prepare the party for the upcoming Assembly elections in 2027, in its bid to secure a third consecutive term.