The expansion will take place at Raj Bhavan this evening; news agency ANI reported quoting sources.

Sources said that at least seven to eight new ministers may be inducted into the cabinet.

Jitin Prasad, who recently switched from Congress to BJP, is likely to be inducted as a minister. Besides Prasada, Sangeeta Balwant Bind, Chhatrapal Gangwar, Dharmveer Prajapati, Sanjay Gaur, Dinesh Khatik and Palturam are also in the fray.

TOI had earlier reported that the expansion is likely to amplify the OBC push in the reshuffle of the central council of ministers affected recently.

Representation for communities like Kurmi, Nishad and Rajbhar is in sync with the central leadership’s concerted bid to promote OBC leaders.

A record 27 OBC leaders were included in the central government in the recent reshuffle.

Meanwhile, there has also been a discussion within the party about the need to accommodate some allies like Apne Dal and Nishad Party.

Live Hindustan said chief minister Yogi Adityanath took the decision during the meeting of Team-9 officials on Sunday. Adityanath said that Covid-19 cases are surging in different states of the country. A negative RT-PCR report should be made mandatory for people coming to Uttar Pradesh from those states where the rate of corona positive is more than three percent, which is not more than four days old from the start of the journey.

These rules should also be implemented for people coming by private vehicles apart from road, air, and rail routes, Adityanath said. Intensive contact tracing and testing of people coming to Uttar Pradesh from these states should also be done. Their antigen test and thermal scanning must be done on arrival in the state. Guidelines should be issued in this regard.