New Delhi: Speculation is rife that the much-awaited reshuffle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet could take place soon. The first reshuffle in the NDA 2:0 could see some more allies getting representations. The Republican Party of India's Ramdas Athawale is the only non-BJP leader in the current NDA government after Shiv Sena and SAD quit the ruling alliance and LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan’s demise.
With crucial Assembly elections, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab lined up, these states could see more representation in the reshuffle of the Council of Ministers. Sources disclosed that UP will be one of the states that will see adequate representation, including a Brahmin face as the community is said to be feeling disenchanted with the BJP under Yogi Adityanath’s rule.
Some names doing the rounds are late BJP leader Gopinath Munde’s daughter Pritam Munde and Rajya Sabha MP Narayan Rane, both from Maharashtra where the BJP lost its ally Shiv Sena.
Names of former Congress leader and now the BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP, Jyotiraditya Scindia, former Assam chief minister Sarbanand Sonowal, former deputy chief minister of Bihar Sushil Modi, Apna Dal’s Anupriya Patel and former TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi, Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni are also doing the rounds.
The BJP’s ally JD(U) could also see two of its leaders in Team Modi while the AIADMK could also see a representation in the Modi government.
It remains to be seen whether or not the BJP's another ally from Bihar -- LJP, which is witnessing heavy infighting -- finds representation in the Modi government.
Speculation is rife that a couple of BJP ministers could be sent back to the organisation. Ever since the second wave of Covid-19 started ebbing, a series of physical meetings have taken place between the PM, senior Cabinet ministers and BJP president J.P. Nadda, giving rise to speculations of a rejig in the Modi government.
Parliament's Monsoon session is likely to begin from the third week of this month and the expectation is that the Cabinet reshuffle could take place before that.
