PM Modi's new Cabinet a 'balancing act' to bridge gap between States & New Delhi: Sources

As the national capital's South Block gets buzzing by the arrival of prominent leaders ahead of the Cabinet rejig, sources have reported that the new Cabinet zeroed down on is being looked at as a balancing act to bridge the gap between New Delhi and regions across the country. With the monsoon session of the Parliament inching closer and sources reporting that the new Cabinet is likely to be unveiled as early as Thursday morning, the expansion is expected to accommodate regional leaders and allies of the BJP-led government at the Centre. With this 'balancing act' in the backdrop, the new Cabinet is also likely to divest Narendra Singh Tomar, Dharmendra Pradhan, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani of their additional portfolios, in order to make place for regional leaders. 

MPs from Bihar, Bengal likely to be inducted

As per sources, the JD(U), which recently won the Bihar Assembly Elections, is likely to get a berth in the new Cabinet, after their return to the NDA in 2017. Former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi is also projected to be given a seat in PM Modi's new Cabinet. In view of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections, sources report that several leaders have been called to the national capital to ensure representation of leaders from the poll-bound state. Amongst the frontrunners from UP is BJP ally Apna Dal(S) leader Anupriya Patel. 

Sources say the Cabinet expansion will also include leaders from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. From Madhya Pradesh, Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, who jumped the ship from Congress to bring BJP into power in the state, is most likely to get a berth whereas sources inform that key satraps from Maharashtra will also be included. Former Maharashtra CM Narayan Rane is one the key leaders from the state that is likely to be inducted into the Cabinet.

Significantly, sources say, Tirath Singh Rawat after having resigned as the Uttarakhand CM might be accommodated in the Cabinet in view of the upcoming state elections. Dilip Ghosh and Locket Chatterjee from West Bengal might find some place in the reshuffled Cabinet as well. Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Lok Sabha MP, from Ladakh, is also likely to be inducted into the Cabinet. 

While the current strength of the Union Council of Ministers is 53 besides PM Modi, only 27 more Ministers can be inducted. This will mark the first-ever Cabinet expansion exercise since the NDA government assumed power in May 2019. 

Here is a list of all probables:

• Sarbananda Sonowal (BJP)- Ex-Assam CM and MLA
• Sushil Modi (BJP)- Former Bihar Deputy CM and Rajya Sabha MP
• Narayan Rane (BJP)- Former Maharashtra CM and Rajya Sabha MP 
• Heena Gavit (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Pritam Munde (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Zafar Islam (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Anupriya Patel [Apna Dal(S)]-  Lok Sabha MP
• Locket Chatterjee (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Dilip Ghosh (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Shantanu Thakur (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Tirath Singh Rawat (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Pashupati Kumar Paras (LJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Shiv Pratap Shukla (BJP)- Rajya Sabha MP
• Sunita Duggal (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• RCP Singh [JD(U)]- Rajya Sabha MP
• Lalan Singh [JD(U)]-  Lok Sabha MP
• Rahul Kaswan (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Ashwini Vaishnav (BJP)- Rajya Sabha MP
• Meenakshi Lekhi (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Manoj Tiwari (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Jamyang Tsering Namgyal (BJP)-  Lok Sabha MP
• Vinod Sonkar (BJP)- Lok Sabha MP