Modi Cabinet Shuffle: Who's In, Who's Out, and What To Expect?

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's separately met President Droupadi Murmu, the rumours of cabinet reshuffle have gained momentum.

If the latest reports are to be believed, a few ministers might see their portfolios change or lose their positions altogether.

Dharmendra Pradhan Under The Scanner:

The Education Minister is said to be in a tight spot, thanks to the massive uproar over the NEET paper leak. With students and parents fuming, the government may feel compelled to act.

The Cockroach Janata Party has managed to draw the public attention, forcing the Centre to replace him.

Punjab's Turn For Better Representation?

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri could be shown the door, making way for either a Sikh face or someone from Punjab. The name doing the rounds is Raghav Chaddha, and with Assembly elections approaching, the state might finally get its due share at the Centre.

Punjab has had a rather thin presence in the Union Cabinet since 2014. Akali Dal's Harsimrat Kaur Badal held the Food Processing portfolio but resigned in 2020 after her party broke alliance with the BJP over the farm laws. Later, Som Prakash served as minister between 2019 and 2024 before making way for Ravneet Singh Bittu.

Major Portfolio Overhauls?

Even heavyweights like Nirmala Sitharaman, Nitin Gadkari, and Manohar Lal Khattar might not be spared. Word is that they could be shuffled around to different departments.

Fresh Faces And Comebacks:

Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) chief and former Bihar CM, is likely to finally get a Cabinet berth. Anurag Thakur, who was a minister earlier, is also expected to make a comeback with a major role.

The Big Surprises On The Cards

Perhaps the most buzzworthy name in circulation is Shaktikanta Das, the former RBI Governor and once the PM's Principal Secretary. There's talk that he could be brought in as a full Cabinet minister, which would be quite a transition from the central bank to the political battlefield.

He is likely to replace the Finance Minister.

Meanwhile, Nirmala Sitharaman is apparently being moved to the Human Resource Development Ministry, a shift that has caught many by surprise.

Maharashtra might also see some action. Shrikant Shinde, son of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and a Lok Sabha MP, could be inducted. He's the man credited with pulling six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs into the NDA camp. TMC turncoat Sukhendu Shekhar Ray is also said to be in the reckoning.

The Coalition Conundrum

Here's where things get tricky for the BJP. The 20 rebel TMC MPs from West Bengal who recently jumped ship to support the NDA are now eyeing Cabinet berths. These MPs currently form the second-largest bloc in the alliance after the BJP itself, and they're not going to be shy about making demands.

It has to be seen whether the BJP, which has distanced itself from the rebel group, will accommodate them in the ministry.