Modi Cabinet Expansion Expected Today, Vaishnaw, Pradhan May Be Replaced

A week before the monsoon session of the parliament begins, the cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi may see a major rejig on Wednesday. As per the buzz in the party, some cabinet ministers may be given organisational roles to strengthen the party before the 2024 polls, while some new names from NDA allies may be inducted in the cabinet. Sources say that ministers who may be shifted to organisational roles can include Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, while former union minister late Ram Vilas Paswan’s son Chirag may also see an entry in the cabinet. 

According to BJP insiders, Pradhan who has been the incharge of Uttar Pradesh in the 2022 assembly polls, may be given the charge of the state for the 2024 general elections as UP is one of the strongest states for BJP and the party wants to leave no stones unturned to keep its bastion intact. Pradhan himself is expected to contest elections from Orissa in the 2024 general elections. 

Meanwhile, Vaishnaw was also recently given the charge of Madhya Pradesh, which is due for assembly elections as well. Alongwith Bhupendra Yadav, Vaishnaw has been given the task to ensure that BJP not only retains Madhya Pradesh in the assembly elections, but also gives good numbers in the general elections. 

A party insider said that the recent defeat in Karnataka has led the BJP to rethink about its poll strategies and even before the party gets ready for the 2024 elections, it wants to emerge strongly in the assembly bound states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. 

Along with these, sources say some leaders of allied parties like Praful Patel and Chirag Paswan may be inducted as ministers in the much-awaited reshuffle. A party leader said that some ministers have more than one portfolio and the new ministers may be seen getting these ministries.