NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to make major changes to his Cabinet after the Monsoon Session of Parliament. According to sources, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to get a new national president during the Monsoon Session, along with the announcement of a revamped party team.
The process of electing a new president has already begun, and observers are being appointed across various states to oversee the selection of state party presidents. In the BJP’s new team, some Union Ministers may be moved to organisational roles, while some from the organisation could be inducted into the government. Sources indicate that significant changes are expected, with several ministers likely to be dropped.
Modi and his team are currently reviewing the performance of ministers. It is reported that ministers who have shown low activity, particularly those with a weak presence on social media or limited public outreach, are likely to be removed. As a result, many Union Ministers and Members of Parliament have recently increased their public engagement and social media activity.
When Modi formed his Cabinet for the third term, he retained most ministers from his second term and did not make major reshuffles in key ministries. Coalition partners were accommodated, but broader organisational elections within the party were postponed due to ongoing state elections and subsequent national security concerns, such as the Pahalgam terror attack. The attack led to Operation Sindoor against Pakistan-based terrorists, delaying the BJP’s internal elections once again.
Now, with the national situation stabilising, the party is aiming to declare the new president in July and finalise the new team by the second week of August. The Monsoon Session is scheduled from July 21 to August 12. After this, Modi is expected to deliver his traditional Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15. Speculation is strong that a Cabinet reshuffle may follow soon after.
This reshuffle is being seen as significant ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections in October. It will also serve as a preparatory step for key state elections early next year in Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.
The BJP is closely monitoring political developments in Kerala, where Congress MP Shashi Tharoor appears increasingly isolated within his party. His next political move is being watched closely. In Tamil Nadu, the BJP is attempting to win over former AIADMK allies, while in West Bengal, the party is intensifying its efforts to strengthen its base.
There are strong indications that new Cabinet faces may be brought in from these states. Ahead of this expected reshuffle, the BJP has initiated the process to complete its organisational elections.
Observers have already been appointed: Harsh Malhotra for Uttarakhand, Kiren Rijiju for Maharashtra, and Ravi Shankar Prasad for West Bengal. Presidential elections will also be held in a dozen states, including Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
According to party sources, all state presidents are expected to be announced by July 15. A crucial meeting of RSS campaigners is scheduled to be held in Delhi from July 4 to 6, where top leaders, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, will be present. It is expected that discussions held during this meeting will help finalise the name of the new BJP national president.
Following the end of J.P. Nadda’s extended term, the BJP will have a new national president for the first time in over a year and a half. Once the new party leadership is in place, the focus will shift to reorganising the Union Cabinet.
