Ministers' chairs: The music begins

Gandhinagar: The chief minister and deputy chief minister designate, Vijay Rupani and Nitin Patel, had a closed-door meeting with national BJP president Amit Shah; V Satish, BJP national organizational secretary; Gujarat BJP in-charge Dinesh Sharma and other key leaders, to decide on the names to be included in the cabinet.

The are strong indications from the grapevine that of the present ministers of state (MoS), the senior-most MoS Shankar Chaudhary and Pradipsinh Jadeja (both close to Amit Shah) will be elevated to cabinet-rank.

There will also be a reshuffle in portfolios of the cabinet ministers. Vijay Rupani's labour and employment and water resources portfolios may need to be alloted. Outgoing CM Anandiben's key revenue and urban development portfolio is likely to go to deputy CM Nitin Patel. While there is the possibility of Vasuben Trivedi, MoS, women and child development, will get a cabinet berth, there are also whispers that she may be axed.

Of the MoSes, three Patidar MoSes - Rajnikant Patel, Govind Patel and Jayanti Kavadiya - are likely to be dropped in favour of fresh Patidar faces. It is also likely that Parshottam Solanki, a strong Koli leader, may be replaced by his brother Hira Solanki.

From Kutch, Tarachand Cheda may be replace by another MLA. Of the tribal MLAs, one of MoSes Kanti Gamit or Bachu Khabad could be dropped in favour of a fresh tribal face. The new CM will face a challenge in maintaining caste and region balance. It is likely that OBC and SC representation in the cabinet may be increased. There are currently 24 ministers including the CM. As a maximum of 15% of MLAs can be made ministers, the maximum number possible is 28.

Shankar Chaudhary and Pradipsinh Jadeja will likely be elevated to cabinet rank. The ministers likely to be dropped are Bhupendrasinh Chudasama (if appointed as Gujarat BJP president), Vasuben Trivedi, Mangu Patel, Jayanti Kavadiya, Parshottam Solanki, Govind Patel, Tarachand Cheda and Rajnikant Patel.

Those who may get ministerial posts are Ganpat Vasava (cabinet), Nima Acharya or Vasan Ahir, Bharatji Dabhi, Bhanu Babariya, Chiman Shapariya, Pabubha Manek, Mahendra Mashru, Hira Solanki, Vibhavari Dave, Pankaj Desai, Dushyant Patel, Ajay Choksi, Ranijt Gilitwala, Raman Patkar and Kanti Amrutiya.

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