A day before Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is to reshuffle his cabinet, a fllurry of activities was witnessed at the Samajwadi Party office with some axed ministers and also those aspiring to get a cabinet berth meeting party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

“Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) met many legislators separately – first at his residence and then at the party office. The parleys continued till late in the evening,” a senior party leader told ‘The Pioneer’.

When quizzed who were the people who met Mulayam Singh, the leader said, “Sabhi the. Jo mantri mandal se nikaal diye gaye aur kuch jo aanaa chaahte hai (Every one met him. Those who were dropped (from cabinet) and those who wanted to become future ministers).” 

Sacked ministers Raja Mahendra Aridaman Singh, Shiv Kumar Beria and Shivakant Ojha along with several MlAs met Yadav at the party headquarters and tried to impress upon him about their loyalty. Sources said that the leaders wanted a bigger role in the party. 

Independent MlA and state minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya, whose Food and Civil Supplies ministry was withdrawn also met Yadav Senior at his residence. Other MlAs who were seen meeting the SP chief were former minister Pawan Pandey and Shadab Fatima. Party sources quipped that Pandey, a legislator from Faizabad, is likely to make a comeback into the cabinet.

Sources said that Shakir Ali from Deoria’s Patherdeva segment and MlC Ashu Malik are strong contenders for ministerial berths. Ali was a minister in the previous Mulayam Singh regime.

Among Muslim women legislators, the race is between Ghazala lari of Rampur Karkhana in Deoria and Shadab Fatima of Zahoorabad in Ghazipur. An MlA from Bhadohi, Zahid Beg too can make the cut as Akhilesh had lauded him for raising the government’s views effectively in the UP Assembly.

Among others, Avinash Kushwaha of Robertsganj (Sonebhadra), Ruchi Verma of Bijnor, Abid Raza from Badaun, Sarojini Agarwal of Meerut are also contenders for ministerial berths. Ashok Bajpai, an MlC, too is hopeful of getting a place in the cabinet.

Other names in  circulation for ministerial berths include Subhash Pasi, Vishamber  Yadav, lalai Yadav, Deep Narain Yadav, Madan Chauhan, Rashmi Arya  and Jaiprakash.

UP Governor Ram Naik is slated to administer oath to the new ministers on Saturday morning at 1030 hours at the Gandhi Sabhagar of Raj Bhawan. The Chief Minister is expected to send the list of ministers to Raj Bhawan late Friday night.