Shiv Sena (UBT)'s mouthpiece Saamna has published a list of Union ministers it claims are likely to be dropped from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet in an impending reshuffle.
According to the report, 10 to 12 Union ministers could be replaced ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in several states.
According to the Shivsena UBT, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Hardeep Singh Puri are among those who could be dropped from the Cabinet. The newspaper also claimed that the Cabinet expansion may take place on Sunday or Monday, with several new faces expected to be inducted into the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
The report further stated that former Reserve Bank of India Governor and the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary, Shaktikanta Das, is being considered for a Cabinet berth and could reportedly be entrusted with the Finance Ministry.
Saamna wrote that the speculation surrounding the reshuffle intensified after Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently met President Droupadi Murmu. It also claimed that the list of potential inductees includes former Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Meerut MP Arun Govil, JD(U) chief and former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP MP Vishnu Dutt Sharma, and Maharajganj MP Janardan Singh Sigriwal.
The newspaper further suggested that one or two rebel MPs from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), who have extended support to the NDA, could also find a place in the Union Cabinet. It additionally mentioned the possibility of representation from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction).
Regarding Punjab, the report claimed that either Raghav Chadha and Ashok Mittal, who it described as leaders who joined the BJP from the Aam Aadmi Party or Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh could be considered for ministerial positions.
On the Education Ministry, Saamna alleged that Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's performance has come under scrutiny following the NEET examination controversy. It claimed that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman could be given charge of the Education Ministry if the reshuffle materialises.
According to Saamna, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar may lose the Power Ministry while retaining the Urban Development portfolio. It further stated that Minister of State Prataprao Jadhav could be relieved of the Health portfolio while continuing to oversee the AYUSH Ministry, with another representative from the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) likely to receive the Health portfolio.
The newspaper also mentioned speculation that MP Shrikant Shinde could be elevated to the rank of Cabinet Minister.
Additionally, Saamna claimed that Union ministers George Kurian and Ravneet Singh Bittu may not continue in the Cabinet, noting that they have reportedly not been renominated to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP leadership.
According to the newspaper, ministries including Railways, Finance, Power, Education, Textiles, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology, Rural Development, Chemicals and Fertilisers, Cooperation, Fisheries, Jal Shakti, Agriculture, Environment, and Law could witness changes in leadership.
