Dehradun: Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yogi Adityanath along with his cabinet ministers took oath today after achieving a thumping victory in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The 65-year-old leader Baby Rani Maurya, former Governor of Uttarakhand and MLA from Agra Rural seat, is expected to get a big responsibility in the Yogi government cabinet. She took an oath as a cabinet minister.
Baby Rani Maurya started her political career from the post of Mayor and has played an important role even as the seventh Governor of Uttarakhand. She served as the governor of the state from 26 August 2018 to September 2021 and resigned from the post two years before the end of her term.
Consequently, she was made the National Vice President of the party in September 2021 and was fielded in assembly elections by BJP as a Dalit face from the Agra Rural Assembly seat. Veteran leader Baby Rani Maurya has defeated Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Kiran Prabha Kesari by more than 76,608 votes.
Baby Rani Maurya, 65, was born in a Dalit family. She joined BJP in 1990 and became the mayor of Agra in 1995. She also has the distinction of being the first woman mayor of Agra. She has been a member of the National Commission for Women and has a Degree in Education (B.Ed) along with Masters in Arts (MA)
Senior journalist Jai Singh Rawat points out that the case of Baby Rani Maurya is different as she became a minister after resigning from the post of governor. "This is probably the first time this is happening in Indian politics," added the journalist.
(With agency inputs)
