AHMEDABAD: Amid buzz over cabinet expansion and the new BJP state chief, Gujarat politics witnessed fresh heat as Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Monday.
The high-profile meeting has fueled speculation, with sources hinting that the long-awaited cabinet reshuffle could be announced soon.
While political circles are abuzz, Patel took to social media to downplay the political chatter, stating the discussion focused on Gujarat’s overall development.
On Monday, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel shared a photo of him meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media, saying, “Today, I met the Prime Minister of India, Hon’ble Narendra Modi Ji, in New Delhi. We discussed various issues related to the overall development of Gujarat, and I received valuable guidance on how to reach every beneficiary of the government’s welfare schemes more effectively.”
Moments after the Gujarat CM shared the photo with PM Modi, political circles in the state went into overdrive.
Sources suggest that Delhi has been witnessing intense backchannel discussions over Gujarat politics for some time now.
At the heart of the churn are two unresolved issues — the long-pending appointment of a new Gujarat BJP president and the anticipated cabinet reshuffle.
The current state chief, C.R. Patil, has already completed his term and now holds a berth in the Union Cabinet. Adding to the buzz, Patil himself publicly admitted that he has urged the party high command to relieve him from state-level responsibilities.
Another key issue stirring Gujarat’s political pot is the long-delayed expansion of the state cabinet. Ever since the BJP formed government post the 2022 assembly polls with a notably slim cabinet, talk of an imminent expansion has been in the air.
However, nearly three years later, the reshuffle remains on hold — making fresh speculation of a cabinet revamp more intense than ever. Adding to the intrigue, sources reveal that the BJP is considering inducting senior leaders who defected from the Congress, a move that would require an expansion to accommodate them.
Against this backdrop, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi has reignited political chatter in Gujarat. Speculation is rife that a concrete decision on the much-awaited cabinet expansion could be just around the corner.
Simultaneously, buzz is building that the Gujarat BJP may soon see the appointment of a new state president, marking a significant political reset.