The buzz around Narendra Modi's cabinet reshuffle grew louder after the BJP central leadership reportedly summoned Raghav Chaddha, MP, to Delhi. The resignation of Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian from the council of ministers after his Rajya Sabha term ended has also added to speculations that a reshuffle could be in the offing.
BJP chief Nitin Nabin, who arrived in Chandigarh along with national general secretary Tarun Chugh and Union minister of state Ravneet Singh Bittu, had cut short his Punjab trip and returned to Delhi. Reports hint that Chaddha accompanied him back to Delhi. The former AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP, who switched sides to the BJP early this year, was in Punjab for the first time after his switch when he was summoned to Delhi.
Before that, Nabin had held a closed-door meeting with BJP MLAs and current MPs. Raghav Chadha was highly attended. Local media reports quoted sources who claimed Nabin praised Raghav Chadha and took specific feedback about the upcoming elections in Punjab.
Speculations are that Punjab leader Ravneet Singh Bittu, the Union Minister of State for Railways, will resign as his Rajya Sabha term is also ending. He, too, has not been renominated by the party. He is likely to be assigned important organisational roles in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections, according to reports.
Rumours are also rife that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan can be dropped from the Cabinet. Many reports hint that Harsh Malhotra, who had been serving as Minister of State for Road Transport and Corporate Affairs, and Pankaj Chaudhary, serving as the Minister of State for Finance, will also be removed.
Names that will likely be inducted into the Cabinet include Lok Sabha member Kamaljeet Sehrawat and Rajya Sabha member Satnam Singh Sandhu. Former Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar’s possible entry into the Union Council of Ministers also remains in the realm of speculation.
