Amit Shah’s Gujarat visit: Closed-door meetings in Surat and Rajkot fuel talk of BJP reshuffle

Union Home Minister Amit Shah began a three-day visit to Gujarat on Sunday night, arriving in Surat for a schedule combining religious, cultural and administrative events. His presence has heightened speculation of political changes within the state BJP ahead of local body elections.

Surat sets the tone

On Monday morning, Shah performed a ground-breaking ceremony at the ISKCON temple in Surat’s Kosmada area, followed by lunch at the residence of Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil. For the first time, legislators and leaders from South Gujarat meeting Shah were issued special coloured passes. Shah then held one-to-one discussions with party leaders and industrialists behind closed doors at the Circuit House that continued late into the night.

Speaker of the Assembly Shankar Chaudhary also had a half-hour meeting with Shah, amid intensifying elections for the board of directors of Banas Dairy, where the contest has effectively become a BJP versus BJP contest. Local observers note that the high-profile dairy elections are seen as a test of organisational strength for competing factions within the party.

Rajkot cooperative convention

Shah travelled to Rajkot later on Monday to address a cooperative sammelan. Internal disputes within the local BJP have been building for weeks, and Shah again held closed-door meetings with MLAs and regional leaders at the Circuit House. According to party insiders, several office bearers and senior workers were called in individually for consultations. Observers say the round of private discussions signals that a new state BJP president could be named soon and that a cabinet expansion is possible. Political analysts expect any reshuffle to take place between Navratri and Diwali.

Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar agenda

After Rajkot, Shah proceeded to Ahmedabad, where he met the state Director General of Police for 20 minutes at the Circuit House. During his stay he is scheduled to meet party leaders and MLAs and visit garba pandals to join Navratri festivities, a key cultural event that draws massive crowds and allows party leaders to connect with voters.

On Tuesday, Shah’s programme includes a tree-plantation event in Vavol, a review meeting at Gandhinagar Circuit House on constituency issues, and the inauguration of development projects in Kalol and Manasa. He is expected to end the day at Navratri celebrations in Gandhinagar, underscoring the mix of governance and outreach that marks this visit.

Political backdrop

The visits of both Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Gujarat in recent weeks have energised the state’s political climate. With only months to go before local body elections, Shah’s tightly packed itinerary and a series of private consultations have intensified talk of an imminent reshuffle within the ruling party. Senior BJP leaders say such tours are routine, but the timing—coming amid internal rivalries and cooperative sector elections—has given this trip added weight.