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Gandhinagar: In a dramatic political overhaul, all 16 ministers in Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s cabinet resigned on Thursday, setting the stage for a refreshed lineup. The new cabinet will be sworn in tomorrow, Friday, at 11:30 AM at Gandhinagar’s Mahatma Mandir convention center, where preparations are in full swing.
This bold reshuffle is viewed as a strategic move to prepare for the 2027 state assembly elections. Sources suggest the cabinet will feature new faces, with the possibility of appointing two Deputy Chief Ministers. The current 17-member cabinet, including the CM, eight full-fledged ministers, and eight Ministers of State, may expand to 22-23 members. Some MLAs who switched from Congress to BJP could secure key ministerial roles.
With 182 legislators in the Gujarat assembly, the ministry can include up to 27 members (15% of the total, including the CM), allowing room for growth.
Why the Sudden Overhaul? BJP’s Response to Cracks in Its Stronghold Insiders cite dissatisfaction from the BJP high command, with many current ministers failing to meet expectations. The recent Visavadar by-election loss, despite intense campaigning by CM Patel and BJP state president CR Patil, saw the party unable to defeat AAP’s Gopal Italia, raising alarms.
Gujarat has a history of abrupt leadership changes since Narendra Modi’s tenure as chief minister ended. The sudden resignations of Anandiben Patel and Vijay Rupani’s governments, and now this shake-up under Patel, have often coincided with rising anti-incumbency sentiments among voters. Rumors indicate the BJP plans to bring back sidelined heavyweights, assigning them significant roles to stabilize its position.
Notably, Patel’s cabinet has remained unchanged since his reappointment in December 2022, a three-year freeze now broken ahead of January’s municipal elections and the 2027 polls.
Top Leaders Converge and Backroom Talks Intensify The political drama escalates with key figures arriving in Gujarat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to land Thursday night around 9 PM, followed by BJP national president JP Nadda on Friday morning. National organization general secretary Sunil Bansal is already in the state. CM Patel will return from a Mumbai event by evening, hosting a critical 8 PM meeting at his residence, after which the new ministerial list will be submitted to the Governor.
On December 12, 2022, Patel took oath with his 16 ministers in the presence of Prime Minister Modi, marking a strong post-election moment.
Who’s In, Who’s Out? The Political Chessboard The new cabinet may see 7-10 current ministers dropped, with 3-5 retained. Fresh faces likely include former Congress leaders Arjun Modhwadia, Alpesh Thakor, CJ Chavda, and Hardik Patel. Saurashtra leaders Jayesh Radadiya and Jitu Vaghani are confirmed for inclusion, with focus on the influential Patidar and North Gujarat’s Thakor communities.
Ministers facing potential removal include Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Minister Purushottam Solanki, Panchayat Minister Bachubhai Khabad, Forest and Environment Minister Mukesh Patel, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bhikhusinh Parmar, and Tribal Development Minister Kunvarji Halpati.
A Flashback to 2021: When the Entire Cabinet Was Replaced Four years ago, the BJP high command shocked observers by replacing Vijay Rupani’s entire cabinet overnight. Rupani’s unexpected resignation led to Patel’s rise as CM, under whom the BJP secured a historic 156 seats in the 2022 elections.
As Mahatma Mandir prepares for tomorrow’s ceremony, all eyes are on whether this revamp will recharge the BJP’s dominance or signal deeper challenges ahead of 2027. Stay tuned for the unveiling.
