Cabinet Expansion Likely By June End; These Faces Can Get Ministerial Berths In Next Reshuffle

Preparations are being made to increase the NDA’s circle by including the leaders of regional parties in the Council of Ministers.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: The discussions surrounding the expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet have intensified. It is being said that in tune with social engineering, preference will be given to those leaders in whose states assembly elections are to be held in the coming months.

Besides, preparations are being made to increase the NDA’s circle by including the leaders of regional parties in the Council of Ministers. If sources are to be believed, the Union Cabinet may be expanded by the end of this month.

In recent days, there have been several meetings and discussions between the government and the organisation regarding the Cabinet expansion where the performance of sitting ministers was assessed besides decision on inclusion of new faces was also contemplated.

If sources are to be believed, special care is being taken of two things in the new Cabinet. The first being the upcoming assembly polls in six states, including politically crucial Uttar Pradesh in 2022 and secondly emphasis was laid on increasing the NDA circle.

It is believed that three from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Goa and Himachal Pradesh besides a new face from Punjab can get a chance in the Union Cabinet. The regional parties are also preparing to get a Cabinet berth this time.

A Brahmin face from Uttar Pradesh’s Purvanchal can get a chance this time as Kalraj Mishra and Shiv Pratap Shukla were ministers in the first Modi Cabinet. Post that, none from the Gorakhpur belt have found a place in the second Modi ministry. This despite Brahmin MPs like Harish Dwivedi, Ramapati Ram Tripathi, Seema Dwivedi, Vijay Dubey, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Haridwar Dubey, including Pratap Shukla, come from the Purvanchal region.

The BJP also faces challenge in Uttar Pradesh this time to placate the Brahmins. Besides, the BJP also wants to give preference to an OBC and a Dalit face. In such a situation, the party can bet on any one of Banda MP RK Singh Patel, SP Baghel or Rekha Verma as the OBC face. Whereas for the Dalit face, former IPS and Dalit leader Brij Lal, Vinod Sonkar or BP Saroj can be considered.

A leader each from Apna Party and Nishad Party – two regional parties of Uttar Pradesh – can also find a place in the Cabinet. If this happens then Anupriya Patel and Praveen Nishad will be included in the Cabinet. This will not only strengthen the BJP’s hold among the OBC voters but also boost the NDA.

Similarly, either Anil Baluni or Ajay Tamta from Uttarakhand can be included. Likewise, Punjab’s Dalit leader Somnath, currently a Minister of State in the Cabinet, can get promotion. Jyotiraditya Scindia from Madhya Pradesh and Raman Singh or Saroj Pandey from Chhattisgarh can be included in the Cabinet.

BJP MPs from West Bengal Dilip Ghosh and Nishith Pramanik can also be a part of the Cabinet. BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh Anurag Thakur, who is currently a Minister of State in the Cabinet, can be promoted and given independent charge. Former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal can also be included in the Union Cabinet.