AHMEDABAD: Amid nationwide outrage over the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, political developments in Gujarat have slowed, with the BJP’s long-anticipated state-level shake-up now caught in a cloud of uncertainty.
Despite this pause, the party made an unexpected move on Tuesday by announcing new district-level presidents, signalling selective progress in its internal restructuring.
Delhi has become the epicentre of high-level political activity, as pressure mounts on Pakistan following the Pahalgam incident. In Gujarat, however, all eyes remain on two major questions: who will be the next BJP state president, and when will the long-delayed cabinet expansion take place?
Over the past fortnight, speculation surged after Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on 21 April. A day later, BJP state chief C.R. Patil held a closed-door meeting with Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, further fuelling rumours of imminent changes.
The BJP was reportedly considering a young OBC leader for the state president’s post, but sources now say the terror attack has “shifted the narrative”. Despite the expiration of Patil’s term, he is expected to remain in his role until political conditions stabilise.
Plans to expand the Gujarat cabinet, with ministerial berths for ex-Congress members who switched to the BJP, have also been put on hold indefinitely. “Given the current national climate, the cabinet expansion will not proceed anytime soon,” said a party source.
In a move that caught many by surprise, the BJP announced new district-level appointments on Tuesday. New presidents were named for Ahmedabad city, Gandhinagar, Kheda, Porbandar and Vadodara, indicating that while state-level decisions remain in limbo, the party is not shying away from recalibrating local leadership.
The swift succession of high-level meetings in Delhi has kept Gujarat’s political circles on edge. For now, the BJP’s larger reshuffle remains on standby—its course altered by national developments beyond the state’s borders.