At the start of its second innings, Uttar Pradesh’s Yogi Adityanath government has tried to strike the right caste equations, particularly with the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in mind. As part of inducting people from various castes and communities, the Yogi government 2.0 has a Muslim minister also.
Danish Azad Ansari was sworn in as a minister of state on Friday, even as Mohsin Raza, who was the lone Muslim face in the previous government and was known for strongly putting forward his views on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, has been dropped this time.
Danish said he was surprised in the morning on receiving a call from the CM residence as the 33-year-old got a chance to join Yogi Adityanath’s team.
The young leader has been serving as the state general secretary of the BJP Minority Morcha (UP).
In 2017, he was made a member of the Urdu Language Committee, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Danish started his political career with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)— the BJP’s ideological mentor.
Hailing from Ballia district, Danish also has a deep connection with Lucknow University. He both studied and learnt his politics there.
Danish’s relationship with the ABVP began in 2011 at Lucknow University. He went on to hold several key posts in the student organisation.
During his time at Lucknow University, Danish got his B.Com, and MA degrees and also completed his studies of public administration in 2015-16.
After being made a member of the state’s Urdu Language Committee in 2017, he became state general secretary of the BJP’s minority wing in UP.
Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and Ukraine-Russia War Live Updates here.