Union Cabinet Reshuffle Expected in Second Week of July

New Delhi: The much-anticipated Union Cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place in the second week of July. After President Droupadi Murmu, who is on an official visit to Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra from July 3 to 7, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will also be travelling to four states on July 7 and 8 to lay the foundation stones of projects worth around ₹50,000 crores, are back in New Delhi.

The conspicuous absence of Union minister G. Kishan Reddy from the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, a day after his appointment as the Telangana BJP president, raised many questions. Though no official reason was given for Reddy’s absence from the meeting, some leaders believe it is an indication of his likely exit from the Union Cabinet ahead of its expected reshuffle.

Amid a buzz about organisational and ministerial reshuffles, the BJP headquarters in the national capital saw a flurry of activities for the second consecutive day, with several ministers and senior leaders meeting party president J.P. Nadda and other functionaries.

The anticipated reshuffle of the Modi Cabinet and the organisational changes in the BJP are seen as precursors to the ruling party's preparations for the impending Assembly elections later this year and the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.

Though there is no official comment from the party or the government on the widely speculated reshuffle of the Union Council of ministers, sources in the party said that it is likely to take place in the second week after the Prime Minister returns from his visit to four states.

The fact that the period before Parliament's Monsoon Session, which begins on July 20, could be the last window for such an exercise has added to the reshuffle buzz.

"The organisational reshuffle has started. Now we believe that a Cabinet reshuffle may take place in the second week of July and before the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament," sources said.

After his appointment as the party's Telangana state unit president, Reddy is expected to exit the Union Cabinet as the BJP follows the one-person-one-post policy. Kishan Reddy is the Union minister for culture, tourism and development of the Northeast region.

 Speaking to the media here, Kishan Reddy said that he has always worked for the party as a soldier since 1980 and that he did not ask for any post. He said that nothing was more important to him than the party.

"We will move ahead with the sole aim of the BJP coming to power in the coming (Telangana) Assembly elections by coordinating with the national and state leadership and all," Kishan Reddy said.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Union minister Prahlad Singh Patel and newly appointed Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar met Nadda. More Union ministers are expected to visit the party office.

"In the last few days, a number of Union ministers, including Nirmala Sitharaman, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Bhupender Yadav, Kiren Rijiju and S.P.S. Baghel, have met Nadda. Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met party general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh," sources said, but remained tight-lipped on what transpired in the meetings.

A BJP leader said that the meetings should not be linked to speculation about the Cabinet reshuffle as the party is planning a number of organisational programmes and such interactions are held regularly.