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New Delhi, October 16 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will expand his cabinet on Friday, October 17. The swearing-in ceremony for the nominated ministers will be held at 11.30 am at the Mahatma Temple in Gandhinagar. During the ceremony, Governor Acharya Devvrat ji will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the MLAs.
Sources have said that at least 10 ministers are likely to be included in the Bhupendra Patel cabinet.
The cabinet reshuffle will be monitored by BJP president JP Nadda, who is visiting Gujarat this evening, where he will hold a series of meetings with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, former state BJP president CR Patil and other senior party leaders on the issue of cabinet expansion.
According to party sources, the discussions are expected to focus on the Gujarat cabinet reshuffle and other key organizational matters in the state.
Nadda’s visit comes just days after a high-level meeting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, where Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister CR Patil and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel discussed the state cabinet reshuffle.
Party insiders said the purpose of Nadda’s visit is to give final approval to the reshuffle and review the party’s strategy to strengthen its position in Gujarat.
This reshuffle has happened a few days after the appointment of new BJP state president Jagdish Vishwakarma.
Moreover, ahead of the 2027 state elections, the state BJP would like to test new equations as the AAP, led by youth leader Gopal Italiya, continues to make dent in the BJP’s Patidar stronghold.
At present, the Bhupendra Patel cabinet has 17 members including the Chief Minister, one of the slimmest in the recent political history of Gujarat.
Sources indicate that the new expansion is expected to fill the vacant chambers at the Swarnim Sankul government complex, indicating the possibility of induction of new faces. He also said that the ministers have been asked to stay in Gandhinagar as many of them are likely to resign.
–IANS
SAS/SKP