By Rahil Nora Chopra
After Union home minister Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi’s interaction with the President Droupadi Murmu, speculation over a possible reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers has gathered pace. BJP has also announced an organisational revamp in its Uttar Pradesh unit ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The new list of office-bearers has been considered as an attempt to ensure broader social representation and organisational balance. There has been no expansion or reshuffle since the BJP-led NDA government returned to power for a third consecutive time in June 2024. The organisational reshuffle will be closely monitored as the BJP prepares for the next round of polls, including the 2027 assembly, Presidential, and the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. There is a possibility that the Union Cabinet and the national BJP team will include leaders from the up-coming poll-bound states in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Manipur and Punjab. Meanwhile, veteran BJP leader from Kerala, George Kurian has already resigned from his ministerial post, others in the Union Council who are likely to be replaced include Minister of State for Road Transport, Harsh Malhotra, and Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary. While Ravneet Bittu, the former Ludhiana MP and sitting Minister of State, Railways and Food Processing, was not withdrawn from the council, though the Rajya Sabha term expired on June 21, wasn’t renewed by the BJP. Bittu can stay a minister without being MP for six months. Speculations are rife over Bittu continuing as the Minister of State. All eyes would also be on whether PM Modi decides to continue with Dharmendra Pradhan as the Union Education Minister, despite growing calls for the latter’s resignation in the wake of the NEET exam paper leak and other recent controversies connected with his portfolio.
AHEAD OF UP ASSEMBLY POLLS 2027, BSP, SP ARE BUSY COURTING BRAHMINS
Targeting Brahmins votes in UP ahead of the assembly elections in 2027, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati has claimed that the interests of the Brahmin community in Uttar Pradesh were safe only with the BSP. She said that her party, following the principle of Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay, had ensured respect and participation for all sections during its government. In a post on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the BSP’s move to line up with upper caste communities, particularly Brahmins, and give them representation in the elections, had created “restlessness” among rival parties. The BSP is seeking to consolidate its traditional support base among Dalits, backward classes and minority communities, while simultaneously expanding its outreach to Brahmins. On the other hand, the SP has steadily increased its outreach to upper caste voters without diluting its core Yadav-Muslim base. SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav had held a meeting of the Samajwadi Brahmin Sabha and declared he would promote strong Brahmin faces during next year’s Assembly elections. He is expected to field a substantial number of Brahmin candidates. Meanwhile, the BJP has joined the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party in wooing the Brahmins of Uttar Pradesh and giving the community the largest share of berths in the party’s newly formed state committee. The BJP included 12 Brahmins in its state committee, followed by nine Rajputs (Thakurs), in various posts.
WEST BENGAL BJP GOVT MAY BRING IN UNIFORM CIVIL CODE IN STATE
West Bengal’s first BJP-led state government is making plans to bring in a bill on implementing the uniform civil code in the state during the ongoing Assembly session. While the matter was discussed and finalised in a business advisory committee meeting held in the Assembly. The turn is expected to mark a major legal and social policy shift in the state, with the BJP positioning the UCC as one of its flagship governance reforms. According to BJP leaders, the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code was one of the prominent commitments in the party’s Sankalp Patra (election manifesto). The proposed UCC seeks to establish a common set of civil laws such as governing marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption for all citizens, irrespective of religion. It also proposes a ban on polygamy and triple talaq, replacing religion-based personal laws. If the bill passes, Bengal will become the fourth state to implement UCC after Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam.
CONGRESS-LED ‘CHHATRON KI GOONJ’ CAMPAIGN AMPLIFIES STUDENTS’ GRIEVANCES
The Congress declared a 40-day programme of outreach activities, public discussions, and protests to force education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign over the NEET leak. While student groups have been doing continuous street protests since the NEET was cancelled in May, no government official has been held responsible. Announcing the Chhatron ki Goonj campaign, Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi has said that repeated incidents of paper leaks and disruptions have led to a strong perception among students that the problem was systemic rather than the fault of a few individuals. “The trust of India’s students has been broken. Who will take responsibility for so many broken dreams?” he said. The campaign would commence on June 30 and continue till August 9.The leaders informed that the campaign would be carried out across coaching centres, universities, hostels, libraries and other public places to engage with students and raise awareness about examination-related issues. (IPA Service)
