State likely to get one more minister in Centre today; portfolios of present ministers also likely to be changed.
If the intra-party reshuffle on Sunday is anything to go by, it is a clear indication that the grand old party has pulled up its socks to give the opposition a run for its money in the 2014 general elections. The UPA government has also scheduled cabinet expansion and reshuffle of portfolios on Monday. With the battle lines drawn between Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and the Congress in 2014, the party is likely to induct some new faces in the UPA from Gujarat.
Sources in Congress have indicated that Gujarat, which has representation of three ministers — Dinsha Patel, Bharatsinh Solanki and Tushar Chaudhary — in the Union cabinet, may get one more face to join the group. “Dinsha Patel is a cabinet minister, while Bharatsinh Solanki is a minister with independent charge and Tushar Chaudhary is minister of state. All the three leaders are representing central Gujarat and the tribal belt. But there is no leader from Saurashtra,” sources said.
During the last cabinet reshuffle, induction of Vitthal Radadia, then Congress MP from Porbandar in the cabinet was almost final, but couple of days prior to the expansion Radadia was embroiled in a controversy of flashing a gun at a toll booth employee. However, after the Gujarat assembly elections, Radadia, along with his son Jayesh, joined the BJP.
“It is possible that either Kunvarji Bavaliya from Rajkot or Somabhai Patel from Surendranagar may be inducted as a cabinet minister. While Patel may be rewarded for his loyalty to the party with a ministerial berth, Bavaliya’s clean and non-controversial image makes him a potential candidate,” said sources. Apart from this it is also indicated that the present Union minister for mines, Dinsha Patel may be given some other portfolio.
“Patel was likely to be dropped from the cabinet reportedly because of his poor performance in the ministry, but his move of meeting Narendra Modi a couple of weeks ago, has sent out strong signals to the party.
Therefore, he may continue in the Union government but with some other portfolio. Other two ministers from Gujarat may be given new departments,” sources added.
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