Mohan Yadav takes over Animal Husbandry portfolio from minister Lakhan Patel.
Patel shifted to Anand Department after review of departmental performance failures.
Portfolio change sparks speculation over wider Madhya Pradesh Cabinet reshuffle.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav stripped Minister of State (Independent Charge) Lakhan Patel of the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development portfolio. Late on Tuesday, an order from the General Administration Department moved Patel to the Anand (Happiness) Department.
Yadav will now personally head the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department, maintaining direct oversight of dairy production, livestock welfare and rural livelihoods. This addition brings his directly managed administrative departments to 11.
State authorities cited no official reason for suddenly reallocating the portfolio as The Indian Express reported.
Review and PPP Failures
The administrative shift follows recent individual performance review sessions. Yadav held these meetings with his Council of Ministers to evaluate the functioning of various state departments.
Patel lost the portfolio after he failed to establish cow shelters across Madhya Pradesh under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, sources said, as reported by the publication.
Patel is a second-term MLA representing Patharia in Damoh district. The OBC leader from the Bundelkhand region was among the first-time legislators inducted into the cabinet after the BJP secured victory in the 2023 Assembly elections.
Expanding milk production remains a critical priority for the state government. Yadav aims to position Madhya Pradesh among the top dairy producers in the country.
Wider Cabinet Reshuffle
The chief minister has shared the outcomes of these ministerial reviews with the central leadership of the BJP. This development has triggered speculation regarding a broader Cabinet reshuffle in the near future.
This marks the second time in two years that a first-time minister has lost a major portfolio. A similar reallocation occurred in July 2024 when Cabinet Minister Nagarsingh Chouhan lost the forest department and moved to Scheduled Castes Welfare. The government handed the forest portfolio to Ramniwas Rawat, who had recently defected from the Congress party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
Following that 2024 decision, Chouhan publicly voiced his frustration. The minister even indicated he was considering resigning from his cabinet position.
Who is Lakhan Patel?
Lakhan Patel is a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from the Pathariya Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district and serves as a Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Mohan Yadav government. A two-time legislator, he was elected from Pathariya in 2013 and 2023.
Patel holds an M.Sc. in Agriculture from Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya and worked as an Agricultural Officer with the State Bank of India for nearly 20 years before entering politics. Following the cabinet reshuffle on July 15, 2026, he was given charge of the Anand (Happiness) Department.
