NEW DELHI: AMID growing speculation that the NDA government is preparing for a Cabinet reshuffle, Home Minister Amit Shah’s meeting with President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday has further fuelled buzz.
Shah called on the President just two days after PM Narendra Modi met her on Tuesday. Modi’s meeting Murmu was reportedly part of the customary practice of briefing the President following an overseas visit by the PM. However, Shah’s visit has triggered fresh speculation about the possibility of an imminent reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers.
Coinciding with Shah’s meeting, the BJP also announced an organisational revamp in its Uttar Pradesh unit ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections on Thursday. The new list of office-bearers has been viewed as an attempt to ensure broader social representation and organisational balance.
However, speaking to this newspaper, a BJP source said that Shah’s meeting with the President might have been a courtesy call following her recent birthday or part of routine consultations. “We do expect a Cabinet reshuffle at some stage, but whether the home minister’s meeting with the President was linked to it is not known to us,” a senior BJP functionary said.
Shah’s meeting comes after MoS George Kurian ceased to be a member of the Rajya Sabha and resigned from the Cabinet when his term ended on June 21 and he was not renominated. MoS Ravneet Singh Bittu continues in the government despite his Rajya Sabha term also ending on the same date. Some party leaders believe that Shah’s visit could have been related to these developments.
Sources further indicated that changes in gubernatorial appointments may also be under consideration ahead of Assembly elections in seven states scheduled for 2027. There is also speculation that a major ministry could be merged with the railways ministry to improve coordination and administrative efficiency.
The possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle has prompted discussion about the induction of new faces, particularly among recently elected Rajya Sabha members. Names being mentioned include Vinod Tawde, Tarun Chugh and K Laxman, among others. However, senior party sources said that a reshuffle before the monsoon session of Parliament is unlikely. The monsoon session is likely to be shorter this year and is expected to commence either from July 21 or 27. However, no official statement has been made by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs on this issue.
Recent political developments involving the Trinamool Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT)—both parties have broken and the parent parties have demanded disqualification of rebel MPs—have led to speculation that the government may be working to strengthen its numbers in Parliament to clear the passage of legislations.
