Cabinet Reshuffle Buzz Grows After BJP Drops Union Ministers From Rajya Sabha List

Modi Cabinet Reshuffle Likely After Ministers Miss Rajya Sabha Tickets; Half-a-Dozen Posts May Change

New Delhi: Speculation over a reshuffle of the Narendra Modi-led Union Cabinet has intensified after the BJP announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh, leaving out some sitting Union ministers.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Minister of State B.L. Verma were among the prominent names missing from the BJP's list. Their exclusion has triggered fresh discussions about changes in the Union Council of Ministers. 

Reports suggest that around half a dozen ministerial positions could undergo changes, either through new appointments or redistribution of portfolios. However, the exact composition and timing of any reshuffle have not been officially announced.

Puri currently holds the Petroleum and Natural Gas portfolio, while the official Union Council of Ministers list also shows several ministers handling more than one ministry. Such multiple-charge arrangements could provide scope for the Prime Minister to redistribute responsibilities during a reshuffle. 

The latest developments come after Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation from the Union Council of Ministers in July, following which Pralhad Joshi was given additional charge of the Education Ministry. The President formally accepted Pradhan's resignation on the Prime Minister's advice. 

The BJP's latest Rajya Sabha nominations have therefore added momentum to speculation about a broader cabinet exercise. Reports indicate that the changes could involve both vacant positions and redistribution of existing portfolios, although names of potential replacements have not been officially confirmed.

For now, the reshuffle remains a matter of political and media reports rather than a formally announced decision by the government. The official government list of ministers was last updated on October 2, 2026.