In a shocking political move, all 16 ministers of Gujarat, except Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, resigned on Thursday as the state gears up for a major cabinet expansion.
The resignations come a day before the anticipated reshuffle, indicating that the BJP is planning to reconfigure its state leadership. Officials say the expansion could include around 10 new ministers, with many current ones possibly excluded.
Gujarat Cabinet Prepares for Renewal
Gujarat’s current cabinet had 17 members in total, including the Chief Minister. Among them, eight held cabinet-rank posts and the rest were Ministers of State (MoS).
The state assembly has 182 members, and under the rules, it can have up to 27 ministers, or 15% of the House strength. A senior BJP leader told PTI that nearly half of the current ministers may be replaced in the coming expansion.
Why This Mass Resignation?
Political analysts view this move as a reset before local body elections in Gujarat. The BJP may aim to bring in younger or stronger faces, adjust regional representation, and signal fresh momentum to voters.
Other signals point to the possible adoption of a “no-repeat formula”, where some current ministers won’t be reappointed, maintaining rotation and fairness.
With the state unit of BJP under new leadership—Jagdish Vishwakarma recently took over as state president—the timing suggests that the reshuffle could bring organizational alignment between the party and government.
What to Expect in New Cabinet?
The new ministers will be sworn in on Friday morning at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, at 11:30 am. Some names rumoured to be in contention include Harsh Sanghavi, currently MoS, tipped for promotion to cabinet rank. BJP may mix veteran and new faces. Reports suggest representation from various regional, caste, and gender groups to balance political equations.
