Lucknow: Former Ranji Trophy player Mohsin Raza was today sworn in as a minister of state in the new BJP government in Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
After he took oath, everyone was quite surprised to see Mohsin Raza as he became the only Muslim face in the Yogi Adityanath-led government. Raza is not a member of the state assembly. He is a spokesman of the BJP.
BJP had not fielded any Muslim candidate in Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2017, a move which attracted barrage of criticism from opposition that party discriminated with a community which comprises state’s 20 per cent population.
On Sunday, as Yogi Adityanath took oath as 21st chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, everyone thought that the cabinet this time won’t have any Muslim face.
However, much to everyone’s surprize, the list included one Muslim face-Mohsin Raza, a retired cricketer who recently joined BJP. 40-year-old Raza, who recently joined the BJP, was appointed party’s spokesperson in the state.
Mohsin Raza only Muslim face in new UP ministry
His appointment has surprised many. Raza’s appointment was quite inevitable as there are several departments in Uttar Pradesh which can only be run by a Muslim candidate.
Raza is likely to be given the charge of Minority Affairs Ministry which comprises many departments working for the development of minority community in the state.
Mohsin belongs to capital city of Lucknow. The leader is graduate and a passout of city’s Jublee inter college. Raza isn’t an elected MLA or MLC in UP’s bicameral legislature.
As per the rules, Raza will be appointed either to Legislative Assembly or Legislative Council of the State. Adityanath was been sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday afternoon.
The oath-taking ceremony was administrated by governor Ram Naik at a function in Lucknow’s Kanshiram memorial ground.
