The fear of losing ministerial positions is increasingly palpable, with rumours in the corridors of power that several ministers may be dropped in an imminent Union Cabinet reshuffle. The growing speculation is the reshuffle will take place by the end of August. It may induct many fresh faces, while dropping those with dissatisfactory performance over their two consecutive terms in office. “They may be reassigned to organisational duties, given their experience,” a senior functionary remarked. He said their roles may be redefined at the national and state levels within the organisation or special party roles could be assigned to them.
In the anticipated reshuffle, ministries currently under dual charge, such as Minority Affairs, Electronics and Information Technology, Social Justice and Development of the Northeast are expected to have full-time cabinet ministers. There is also strong speculation that the Ministry of Finance may undergo a change in leadership, with a new minister appointed. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) may see a shift at the Minister of State level. “There is a strong possibility of change in the MEA, if not at the Cabinet level, then certainly at the MoS level,” remarked a senior government source. “The performance of every minister is under scrutiny, as the Prime Minister does not tolerate even slight laxity or subpar performance”, remarked an official.
Maha language row worries Bihar BJP
The BJP, preparing for the Bihar Assembly polls, is worried following reports of non-Marathi-speaking individuals being attacked in Maharashtra. A senior BJP leader from North India, remarked bitterly, “The hooliganism being perpetrated against non-Marathi-speakers in Mumbai could have serious repercussions for the BJP in Bihar polls, as majority of those being targeted come from either Bihar or UP”. The ongoing conflict over language in Maharashtra is reverberating across rural Bihar.
Many people from the state, who move to Mumbai to make a living, are scared and demoralised. The BJP is anxious that the opposition could exploit these isolated incidents to undermine the NDA in the upcoming elections. The BJP central leadership “must take this matter seriously,” said a party leader from Bihar. Sources in Delhi revealed the Maharashtra government has been asked to urgently tackle the ‘hooliganism’. “Party workers in Maharashtra also have a responsibility to act against those who target non-Marathi speakers, as this could also raise questions about the BJP government’s policy on linguistic freedom,” said a source.
Senior-most IPS twice denied DGP post
The BJP-led Centre appears to have collaborated with CPI(M)-led Kerala government to deny the top police post to Nitin Agarwal, the senior-most IPS officer of the 1989 batch from the state cadre, and instead appointed 1991-batch IPS, R A Chandra Sekhar. Government sources said the collaboration ended up in the Modi government facilitating Chandra Sekhar’s return to his cadre state Kerala, in the process shifting him from his Intelligence Bureau assignment to the Cabinet Secretariat as Secretary (Security). The shift made him eligible to become Kerala’s top cop and in two weeks, he was named DGP. Rules disallow IB officers to be selected as DGPs. This is not the first time Agarwal was superseded. The outgoing DGP, Shaik Darvesh Saheb, a 1990-batch IPS officer, is a year junior to him.
NHAI counsel lands agency in pickle
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is in the middle of a PR nightmare after its lawyer stirred a controversy with an unthinking remark. When the Indore bench of the MP High Court was hearing a PIL about the 40-hour traffic jam of over 4,000 vehicles on the Indore-Dewas bypass on June 27 that cost three lives, the NHAI counsel questioned why people had left their homes “so early without any work”.
Considered to be indirectly blaming the public for the conjestion, the backlash was swift, forcing the NHAI into damage-control mode. The lawyer received a show-cause notice right away. Not taking any chances, the authority decided to yank of all cases marked to the advocate and remove her from its panel. Sources said the counsel exceeded her brief and made unauthorised comments, which might be her “personal opinion”.
Centre looks for IRDAI chairperson
The Centre is considering filling the post of Chairperson of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), vacant since March 2025. Names of M Nagaraju (currently with the Department of Financial Services), Ajay Seth (Finance Secretary), and Gridhar Aramane, among others, are circulating as potential candidates. Nagaraju is said to be the frontrunner, given his vast administrative experience, knowledge of relevant responsibilities, and his reputation as a strict taskmaster. The appointment is likely to come this July.