The entire cabinet of Gujarat, except Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, has resigned. All 16 ministers of CM Patel’s cabinet resigned from their posts. This comes a day before the expansion of the cabinet that will likely see induction of 27 ministers.
A senior BJP leader said the expansion may see 10 new ministers in the cabinet, reported PTI. However, apart from the addition, half of the current faces are likely to be replaced, the leader added.
“Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s cabinet will be expanded on Friday at 11.30 am,” a government release said, as per PTI.
Gujarat’s present cabinet
The Gujarat cabinet under CM Bhupendra Patel so far had 17 ministers, including the Chief Minister. Eight of these were cabinet-rank ministers, while the others were Ministers of State (MoS).
The state has a 182-member assembly and can have 27 ministers or 15 per cent of the total strength of the House. The development comes days after MoS in the Gujarat government, Jagdish Vishwakarma, became the new president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit, replacing Union minister CR Paatil.
Bhupendra Patel became Gujarat chief minister for the second time on December 12, 2022.