Aparna Yadav, the younger daughter-in-law of Samajwadi Party patriarch and former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, is set to join the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission as Vice Chairperson on Wednesday, according to reliable sources. Aparna Yadav was appointed to this post last week but has yet to assume duties, leading to speculation about her apparent displeasure with the appointment.
However, close confidants informed a news agency on Tuesday that she will officially join the commission on Wednesday morning. On Monday evening, Aparna Yadav met with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, effectively putting an end to rumors about her possible return to the SP.
Principal Secretary Leena Johari issued an official notification last week, stating that Governor Anandiben Patel had appointed Babita Chauhan as Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission, with Aparna Yadav and Charu Chaudhary as Vice Chairpersons for a term of one year or until further decisions by the state government.
Aparna Yadav holds a diploma in International Relations and contested the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections from the Lucknow Cantonment seat on a SP ticket, which ended in loss to BJP's Rita Bahuguna Joshi. Later, in January 2022, she joined BJP, fueling speculation about her candidacy in future elections, yet she did not receive a ticket. Post-election scenarios saw rumors regarding her possible roles, be it Legislative Council or Rajya Sabha, but none materialized.
Despite ongoing meetings with CM Yogi Adityanath, no significant role was assigned to her in the BJP organization for the past two and a half years. Even during this year's Lok Sabha elections, while there was speculation concerning potential candidacies from seats like Kannauj, Mainpuri, Amethi, or Raebareli, these possibilities eventually faded away. Apparatus within the BJP also saw no substantial responsibility given to Aparna Yadav in recent years.
With her new role on the commission, it will be interesting to monitor the potential impact and initiatives she might bring forth towards empowering women in Uttar Pradesh. Her diverse experiences, from political campaigns to serving in a delicate commission role, might offer a unique blend to this responsibility.
