Gandhinagar: In a significant political development, all 16 ministers of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s cabinet have resigned, leaving the Chief Minister as the sole remaining member. The move comes a day before a planned cabinet expansion, which is expected to include 27 ministers.
A senior BJP leader told PTI that the expansion could see the induction of 10 new ministers, while half of the existing faces are likely to be replaced.
Currently, CM Patel’s cabinet consisted of 17 members, including himself, with eight cabinet-rank ministers and the rest serving as Ministers of State (MoS). Gujarat, with a 182-member assembly, is entitled to a maximum of 27 ministers, representing 15% of the House’s total strength.
The cabinet reshuffle follows recent changes in the party’s state leadership, with MoS Jagdish Vishwakarma appointed as the new president of the BJP Gujarat unit, replacing Union Minister CR Paatil.
CM Bhupendra Patel assumed office for the second term on December 12, 2022, and is expected to continue leading the government after the reshuffle.
