Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi meets PM Modi, discusses structure of new state cabinet

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Sunday, and it is believed they discussed the broad contours of government formation and the structure of the new state cabinet.

Tweeting about the meeting, which lasted for over one and a half hours, Modi said he met and congratulated Adityanath for his historic victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

The BJP stormed back to power in Uttar Pradesh, retained Uttarakhand, Manipur and was the largest party in Goa in the recently concluded assembly polls.

Earlier in the day, in his first visit to the national capital after the party notched up a comprehensive victory in the assembly polls, Adityanath met BJP general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.

Adityanath's visit also comes in the backdrop of several ministers of the previous Uttar Pradesh cabinet, including Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, losing in the polls.

"In the last five years, Adityanath tirelessly worked for the development of Uttar Pradesh," Modi said in a tweet after the meeting, adding that he is fully confident that in the coming years, he (Adityanath) will take the state to greater heights of development.

After meeting Modi, Adityanath met BJP president JP Nadda and is scheduled to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh thereafter.

Set to take oath as the chief minister for a second term, Adityanath's talks with the top party leadership, including Nadda, is believed to have centred around a host of issues related to the government formation besides being a formal exercise.

He is likely to be here for two days, sources said.

According to the sources, the oath-taking ceremony of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is likely to be held after Holi.

The BJP won 255 seats in the 403-member assembly. Its two allies secured another 18 seats.

Political watchers believe that Adityanath's stature has received a boost with the win as his leadership was at the centre of the BJP's re-election bid.