India
oi-Ashish Rana
Speculation over a possible reshuffle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers has intensified after Union Minister of State George Kurian resigned following the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure, creating a vacancy in the Cabinet. Separate meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and President Droupadi Murmu have further fuelled the buzz, with political circles expecting changes before the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Discussions have centred around possible new entrants, ministers who could make way, states likely to gain greater representation and a potential reshuffle of key portfolios.
Speculation of a reshuffle in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers has intensified following Minister of State George Kurian’s resignation and ahead of upcoming state elections, with discussions on portfolio changes and new entrants.
Vacancies And BJP’s Organisational Changes Add To Reshuffle Buzz
George Kurian’s resignation has created the first opening in the Union Council of Ministers. The BJP leader from Kerala stepped down after completing his Rajya Sabha tenure. He was serving as Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
Attention has also turned to Ravneet Singh Bittu, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Railways, whose Rajya Sabha membership has ended. Although the Constitution allows him to remain a minister for six months without being a member of Parliament, party sources indicate he has been asked to focus on Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections due next year.
Recent BJP organisational appointments have added another layer to the speculation. Harsh Malhotra continues as Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Road Transport and Highways while serving as Delhi BJP president. Pankaj Chaudhary also holds dual responsibilities as Minister of State for Finance and BJP’s Uttar Pradesh president.
The BJP has traditionally followed its “one person, one post” principle, though there is no fixed timeline for relinquishing either responsibility. Whether Malhotra and Chaudhary continue in both positions remains to be seen.
Reports also suggest that BJP president Nitin Nabin could soon unveil a new organisational team, with younger leaders expected to be entrusted with key roles.
Election Strategy May Shape Cabinet Expansion
With Assembly elections scheduled in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab next year, political observers believe these states could receive greater representation in the Modi government.
West Bengal has also emerged as a state to watch following the BJP’s recent political gains. The merger of 20 rebel Trinamool Congress MPs with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India and their support for the NDA has further sparked speculation that some of them could be accommodated in the Cabinet.
Leaders Being Tipped For Ministerial Berths
Among the names doing the rounds are former Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha and Ashok Mittal, both of whom joined the BJP earlier this year. Senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh from Punjab has also featured prominently in reshuffle discussions.
The Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde is also believed to be seeking a larger share in the Union government after six MPs from the Uddhav Thackeray faction joined its camp. In Maharashtra’s political circles, Shrikant Shinde is among the names being linked with a possible ministerial berth, although there has been no official confirmation.
Key Portfolios Could Also See Changes
Apart from new inductions, discussions have also focused on possible changes in major ministries.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has faced criticism over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and the CBSE on-screen marking row, leading to speculation over whether the education portfolio could see a change.
There is also political chatter that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman could be moved to the Education Ministry, while former Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, currently Principal Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister, is being discussed as a possible choice for the Finance Ministry.
Senior ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Manohar Lal Khattar have also figured in speculation over possible changes. Puri’s Rajya Sabha term from Uttar Pradesh ends in November, while Khattar currently oversees the Housing and Urban Affairs and Power ministries.
Despite the growing speculation, neither the BJP nor the Union government has officially confirmed any Cabinet reshuffle. Any announcement, if made, is expected ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
