All 16 Gujarat ministers except CM resign ahead of cabinet expansion, 'no repeat' formula likely

Ahead of the state cabinet expansion, a total of 16 ministers of Gujarat, except for the chief minister, submitted their resignations on Thursday. 

In a meeting led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday, it was announced that the swearing-in ceremony for the new cabinet is scheduled to be held at Mahatma Mandir at 11.30 am on Friday. Immediately after the ceremony, the first meeting of the new cabinet will be held under the leadership of the Chief Minister.

Amid this major political shift, BJP is likely to implement its ‘no-repeat’ formula, similar to 2021, including the appointment of the deputy chief minister.

Notably, there is no fixed schedule for a state cabinet expansion, it can happen at any time, as the timing is ultimately a political decision made by the chief minister and the ruling party’s high command, based on various factors.

The new cabinet is likely to include 23 ministers, with a balanced representation of experience, youth, and women legislators. The BJP aims to ensure equitable representation across communities and regions.

The composition may include 6 Patidar leaders (4 Leuva Patel and 2 Kadva Patel), 4 OBC MLAs from Thakor and Koli communities, 2 from Scheduled Castes (SC), 2 from Scheduled Tribes (ST), 2 Brahmin, and 2 Kshatriya ministers. Around 4 women MLAs, both young and experienced, are also expected to be inducted.