Speculation over a possible Union Cabinet reshuffle intensified on Friday after the BJP omitted two sitting ministers from its list of candidates for the June 18 Rajya Sabha elections, fuelling discussion in political circles about a potential revamp of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Council of Ministers.
The BJP on Thursday announced 11 candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls but did not renominate Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Ravneet Singh Bittu from Rajasthan and Minister of State for Fisheries George Kurian from Madhya Pradesh.
Instead, the party nominated Tarun Chugh from Madhya Pradesh and Satish Poonia from Rajasthan.
The decision has raised questions over the future of Bittu and Kurian in the Union Council of Ministers, as their Rajya Sabha terms are nearing completion and no fresh nomination has been announced for either leader.
Attention has particularly focused on Punjab, where Assembly elections are due next year. Political observers believe the state is likely to retain representation in the Union Cabinet, even if Bittu exits the government.
Also read: Dhillon as Punjab BJP chief causes ripples in Congress
Among the names being discussed as possible contenders for a ministerial berth are Tarun Chugh and former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar. Both are regarded as prominent Hindu faces in Punjab's political landscape.
The BJP recently appointed Kewal Dhillon as its Punjab unit chief, a move seen as outreach to the Jat-Sikh community. Any Cabinet reshuffle could be used to balance social representation by accommodating Hindu, OBC or Dalit leaders from the state.
Bittu himself has indicated a willingness to return to state politics. Earlier this week, he expressed a desire to work in Punjab and contest the 2027 Assembly elections, saying he wanted to serve the state after spending 17 years in Parliament.
With Punjab emerging as a key electoral battleground ahead of the next Assembly polls, the BJP is expected to recalibrate its leadership strategy in the state.
Whether that includes changes in Punjab's representation in the Modi government is likely to become clearer if and when a Cabinet reshuffle takes place.
Follow us
