PM Narendra Modi’s cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday is expected to factor in his party the BJP’s political strategy in Uttar Pradesh, where assembly elections will be held early next year. BJP chief Amit Shah too is expected to announce a new team of party office-bearers, and, sources said, minor changes are expected in the organizational structure.
Tomorrow, some new ministers will take oath at 11 am, presidential palace Rashtrapati Bhavan has been informed by the government, and sources said at least two more faces from UP may join the council of ministers. Among likely additions to PM Modi’s council is Anupriya Patel, Lok Sabha MP from the BJP’s UP ally Apna Dal.
There has also been buzz over other names like BJP Lok Sabha member Mahendra Pandey and Shiv Pratap Shukla, who has been brought by the BJP to the Rajya Sabha from UP in last month’s election. Both leaders are Brahmins, a big votebank in the state that all parties are vying to woo in these elections.
Purushottam Rupala, a Rajya Sabha member of the BJP from Gujarat is expected to take oath as is Arjun Ram Meghwal from Rajasthan. Ajay Tamta, BJP Lok Sabha member from Uttarakhand and Anil Desai of the BJP’s sulking ally the Shiv Sena, could also be made ministers, sources said.
Changes are expected in some portfolios, but, sources said, there may be no changes in the top four – Home, Finance, Defence and External Affairs. Some ministers like Power Minister Piyush Goel may be in for a promotion. Unconfirmed reports say controversial minister from Rajasthan, Nihal Chand, who was named in a rape case, may be dropped.
PM Modi has held long discussions with BJP president Amit Shah over the last month and a half to finalize changes in the cabinet. The two leaders had met last week for over four hours and reportedly discussed changes in both the cabinet and the BJP’s organizational structure. At present, there are 66 ministers at the Centre, including the Prime Minister. The Constitution allows 82. The Prime Minister has to appoint a new Sports Minister with his party’s Sarbananda Sonowal moving to Assam as Chief Minister.
