All 16 Ministers Step Down; New Faces Expected, Two Deputy CMs Likely
Gandhinagar: In a significant political move, all 16 ministers of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s cabinet resigned on Thursday. The new cabinet is scheduled to take oath tomorrow at 11:30 AM at Gandhinagar’s Mahatma Mandir.
This reshuffle is widely seen as preparation for the 2027 assembly elections. Reports suggest the cabinet may see fresh faces, including legislators who recently joined BJP from Congress. There is also speculation about the appointment of two deputy chief ministers.
Gujarat’s current cabinet, including the CM, had 17 members—8 cabinet ministers and 8 ministers of state. The new lineup could expand to 22-23 ministers, keeping within the 15% cap of 27 ministers for the 182-member assembly.
Political analysts note that many existing ministers failed to meet the expectations of the party high command. Recent setbacks, such as BJP losing the Visavadar bypoll to AAP’s Gopal Italia despite aggressive campaigning, have triggered the changes.
Historically, Gujarat has seen frequent cabinet reshuffles post-Narendra Modi’s CM tenure. This move also aims to bring influential leaders back into key roles. Since 2022, the cabinet remained unchanged, making this the first major overhaul in three years ahead of municipal and 2027 elections.
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