NEW DELHI: Speculation about a possible reshuffle in the Union Council of Ministers has intensified after the BJP omitted Union ministers Ravneet Singh Bittu and George Kurian from its list of 11 candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
Both ministers are outgoing Rajya Sabha MPs—Bittu from Rajasthan and Kurian from Madhya Pradesh—and neither has been renominated by the party, triggering fresh discussion about potential changes in the Narendra Modi government.
Absence of Ministers Raises Questions
The omission of Bittu and Kurian has drawn attention because BJP has not repeated any of its outgoing Rajya Sabha members in the latest round of nominations.
The reshuffle buzz has grown further as two other Ministers of State have recently been assigned major organisational responsibilities. Pankaj Chaudhary is currently serving as Uttar Pradesh BJP president, while Harsh Malhotra was recently appointed chief of the Delhi BJP.
Political observers view such organisational assignments as potential indicators of future changes in government and party roles.
BJP Yet to Announce Candidates in Two States
The BJP is yet to announce its Rajya Sabha candidates from Karnataka and Jharkhand, where it is assured of one seat each. This leaves open the possibility that either Bittu or Kurian could still be accommodated through nominations from those states.
Even if they cease to be MPs after their current terms end on June 21, both ministers can continue in office for up to six months under constitutional provisions.
Echoes of 2022 Cabinet Changes
The development has drawn comparisons with 2022, when former Union ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and R. C. P. Singh resigned before the completion of their Rajya Sabha terms and were subsequently not renominated.
Their exits had preceded changes in the Union Cabinet, leading some political analysts to draw parallels with the current situation.
BJP Brings in New Faces
The party has largely opted for fresh faces in this round of Rajya Sabha nominations.
Among those selected are BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh and former Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia, both of whom are set to enter Parliament for the first time through the Upper House.
Focus on Regional and Social Representation
The BJP’s selections indicate a focus on expanding its social and regional outreach.
In Gujarat, the party has nominated four new candidates—Rajubhai Shukla, Mukeshbhai Rathwa, Mansingh Parmar and Jitendra Kanzariya—with an emphasis on OBC and tribal representation.
The party has also chosen A Sharda Devi from Manipur and former Arunachal Pradesh BJP chief Tai Tagak for Rajya Sabha seats from the Northeast.
Punjab Strategy in Focus
The decision not to renominate Bittu, a prominent Jat Sikh leader and grandson of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, has surprised many political observers.
However, there is speculation that the BJP may want Bittu to focus on the Punjab Assembly elections, expected early next year.
The party recently appointed Kewal Singh Dhillon as its Punjab unit chief as part of efforts to broaden its support base among Sikh voters. The Rajya Sabha nomination of Tarun Chugh is seen as a move to consolidate the BJP’s traditional voter base in the state.
Organisational Overhaul Also Underway
The Rajya Sabha nominations come amid an expected overhaul of BJP’s national organisational structure following the appointment of Nitin Nabin as party president in January.
Nabin has been actively touring states and reviewing party operations, leading to expectations of broader changes in both the organisation and the government.
BJP Set to Win Most Seats
Thanks to its numerical strength, the BJP is expected to comfortably secure all 10 regular Rajya Sabha seats in states where it has announced candidates—four in Gujarat, two each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and one each in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
The party is also favoured to win the Odisha bypoll seat, for which it has nominated Debashish Samantaray after his switch from the BJD.
Elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats and one bypoll seat are scheduled to be held on June 18.
