The expansion of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel&rsquo;s council of ministers is more than a mere administrative reshuffle&mdash;it is a statement of intent. For the first time in years, the Bharatiya Janata Party has preferred its original soldiers over the opportunistic entrants who switched loyalties from the Congress and other parties. The message is clear: the age of the turncoat in Gujarat&rsquo;s corridors of power may be coming to an end.
In the previous dispensations, as many as five or six defectors were accommodated in the ministry&mdash;symbols of political expediency over party loyalty. This time, only two such faces have made it to the cabinet. The decision not only restores morale among long-serving party loyalists and RSS-affiliated workers but also signals that BJP, under Patel and guided by the central leadership, seeks to consolidate its ideological core rather than expand it through political convenience.
<h4 data-start="1193" data-end="1241">Social Engineering with Strategic Depth</h4>
The cabinet&rsquo;s composition also reveals a calculated shift in the BJP&rsquo;s social strategy. The party, historically dominant among the urban middle classes and Patidar elites, is now making a deliberate outreach towards OBC, SC, and ST communities&mdash;constituencies once considered Congress strongholds.
The numbers speak for themselves: eight ministers from Other Backward Classes, seven Patidars (including the Chief Minister himself), three from Scheduled Castes, four from Scheduled Tribes, two Rajputs, and one each from the Jain and Anavil Brahmin communities. This carefully crafted social mix is aimed at broadening BJP&rsquo;s base from urban to rural Gujarat and pre-empting Congress&rsquo;s traditional caste coalition politics.
<h4 data-start="1970" data-end="2001">Regional Balancing Act</h4>
Another striking feature is the regional rebalancing. The new cabinet reflects a conscious effort to correct the under-representation of regions like Saurashtra, which felt sidelined in the previous council. This time, eight ministers hail from the Saurashtra region&mdash;an important correction given the region&rsquo;s 48 assembly seats.
In districts like the undivided Banaskantha and Kheda, where Congress influence remains deep-rooted, the BJP has installed three ministers from each, clearly positioning itself to challenge the opposition on its own turf ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.
Yet, the omission of representation from Junagadh district&mdash;despite the rising profile of AAP&rsquo;s Gopal Italia, a Patidar MLA from Visavadar&mdash;has raised eyebrows within the party. Some insiders suggest that this cabinet expansion was as much about containing internal threats as countering the opposition.
<h4 data-start="2906" data-end="2963">The Rise of Harsh Sanghvi: Merit or Media Power?</h4>
The biggest talking point remains the promotion of Harsh Sanghvi&mdash;from Minister of State for Home to Cabinet Minister and now designated Deputy Chief Minister (a non-constitutional title). While his administrative performance as MoS for Home has been praised, the move has not gone down well with many senior leaders, who now find themselves reporting to a much younger colleague.
Critics within the party lament that the BJP is increasingly becoming a &ldquo;Reel Party&rdquo;, rewarding those more visible on social media than those delivering results on the ground. Sanghvi&rsquo;s elevation may strengthen the party&rsquo;s Hindutva appeal and youth connect, but it simultaneously risks alienating veterans and deepening factionalism in South Gujarat, where C.R. Patil, Union Minister and former state president, commands significant influence. Two power centres in the same region could complicate BJP&rsquo;s internal equations.
<h4 data-start="3879" data-end="3917">The Missing Tribal Leadership</h4>
While the inclusion of several Adivasi ministers appears inclusive on paper, it fails to produce a single commanding tribal leader capable of uniting Gujarat&rsquo;s 27-seat tribal belt. The BJP&rsquo;s tribal outreach, therefore, remains fragmented and symbolic rather than transformative.
<h3 data-start="4204" data-end="4257">Balance, but at a Political Price</h3>
In essence, Bhupendra Patel&rsquo;s cabinet is a well-engineered blend of social representation, regional correction, and internal discipline. Yet, beneath the equilibrium lies simmering discontent and strategic risks. By restoring prominence to its old guard, the BJP has reaffirmed its ideological DNA&mdash;but whether this realignment translates into electoral dividends in 2027 will depend on how effectively this new team delivers governance beyond symbolism.

Bhupendra Patel’s new cabinet marks a return of the original BJP core, sidelining turncoats.

Old Guards Reclaim BJP’s Gujarat Cabinet

Bhupendra Patel’s new cabinet marks a return of the original BJP core, sidelining turncoats.

October 17, 2025 | 19:53 IST