New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will expand his cabinet on Friday, October 17. The swearing-in ceremony for the designated ministers will be held at 11.30 a.m. at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. Governor Acharya Devvratji will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the MLAs during the ceremony.

Sources have said at least 10 ministers are likely to be inducted into the Bhupendra Patel cabinet.

The cabinet reshuffle will be overseen by BJP President J.P. Nadda, who is visiting Gujarat this evening, where he will hold a series of meetings with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, former state BJP president C.R. Paatil, and other senior party leaders on the issue of cabinet expansion.

According to party sources, the discussions are expected to focus on the reshuffle in the Gujarat cabinet and other key organisational matters in the state.

Nadda’s visit comes just days after a high-level meeting took place at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence, where Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister C.R. Paatil, and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel discussed changes in the state cabinet.

Party insiders said Nadda’s visit is aimed at giving final approval to the reshuffle and reviewing the party’s strategy to strengthen its position in Gujarat.

The reshuffle comes days after the appointment of new BJP state president Jagdish Vishwakarma.

Also, ahead of the 2027 state polls, the state BJP will be looking to test new equations, as the AAP, led by young leader Gopal Italia, continues to make inroads into the Patidar stronghold of the BJP.

At present, the Bhupendra Patel cabinet has 17 members, including the Chief Minister, one of the leanest in Gujarat’s recent political history.

Sources indicate that the new expansion is expected to fill vacant chambers in the Swarnim Sankul government complex, indicating the likely addition of new faces. They have also said that ministers have been asked to remain in Gandhinagar, as many of them are likely to tender their resignations.

–IANS

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