New Delhi: The BJP’s decision to exclude Union ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian from its 11 Rajya Sabha nominations has intensified talk of a Union Cabinet reshuffle.
Both ministers’ terms end on June 21, and without renomination, their continuation in the Cabinet is uncertain. The move follows recent appointments of other ministers to state party chief roles, suggesting a broader realignment in Prime Minister Modi’s team.
The BJP’s Rajya Sabha list features leaders with strong organisational backgrounds, regional influence, and community appeal, such as Tarun Chugh from Madhya Pradesh and Satish Poonia from Rajasthan. Picks like Alka Gurjar and Debashish Samantaray reflect targeted outreach to Gurjar, Jat, and OBC communities.
The Gujarat slate, all newcomers with an average age of 46, underscores a generational shift and RSS-rooted loyalty.
Bittu’s exclusion is notable given his prominence as a Sikh face in the BJP’s Punjab strategy ahead of the 2027 polls. His likely redeployment to state politics aligns with the party’s balancing act between Sikh and Hindu leadership in Punjab. Similar community-focused calculations are evident in Rajasthan and Gujarat, where caste representation and future electoral battlegrounds have shaped nominations.
Party sources indicate that up to a dozen ministers could be dropped or reassigned by mid-June, with changes expected in key ministries such as Railways, Finance, and Agriculture. The reshuffle aims to counter anti-incumbency, inject fresh faces, and address internal party dynamics. The Rajya Sabha nominations are being seen as an early indicator of the Cabinet reset’s direction.
