Chief Minister Harish Rawat inducted two ministers from Garhwal into the Uttarakhand Cabinet on Thursday, bringing the number of ministers to 12. Vikasnagar MLA Nav Prabhat and Badrinath legislator Rajendra Bhandari were sworn in at Raj Bhawan, reported PTI.

One of the two seats fell vacant in February last year after the death of late Surendra Kumar Rakesh, while the other was vacated by former Agriculture Minister Harak Singh Rawat when he revolted against the state's Congress government in March this year.

The state will go to polls next year. With that in mind, the move to induct ministers from Garhwal is being seen as an attempt to placate leaders from the region. Pradesh Party President Kishore Upadhyay had often cried neglect and alleged that Garhwal leaders were never appointed to important posts.