The Union Cabinet reshuffle is expected to take place in a couple of days and while the names of those who will be inducted is being closely guarded, as is the practice in the Modi government, several names have been doing rounds as probable entrants into the Cabinet. While leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sarbananda Sonowal, Sushil Modi and Bhupender Yadav are expected to make the cut, a few leaders from the south too may be inducted.
From Karnataka, the only state where the BJP is in power in the south, four names, all from dominant communities, are doing the rounds. After the untimely demise of former Union Minister of State for Railways, Suresh Angadi in September 2020, another Lingayat from the state could make it to the centre. Lok Sabha MP from Haveri-Gadag Shivkumar Udasi is one of the names in the reckoning. He is the son of CM Udasi, a former legislator and former Minister who passed away in June 2021. The second Lingayat name is that of Bagalkot Lok Sabha MP PC Gaddigoudar who is the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Agriculture.
Two Vokkaliga leaders, are also on the shortlist, according to sources. Shobha Karandlaje who is the Lok Sabha MP from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru and Vice President of BJP Karnataka could bag a cabinet berth. She has served as minister in the state cabinet and her selection could also give coastal Karnataka a representation. The second is that of Lok Sabha MP from Mysore-Kodagu Prathap Simha. He is a two-time MP and a former journalist. Sources say that one name from each community, at best, could get picked from Karnataka.
Meanwhile from the state of Andhra Pradesh, where the BJP has been trying to establish the party by taking on issues of alleged attacks on temples, two names are doing rounds. National spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member GVL Narasimha Rao remains a strong contender to make his debut in the Union Cabinet. Although he is Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh, he hails from Andhra and has remained closely involved with the BJP unit of Andhra. He is currently also part of the central committee of BJP chaired by Amit Shah.
The second name from Andhra is that of businessman and Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh CM Ramesh. This two-time MP is currently a member of the Public Accounts Committee. He is the Founder-Chairman of Rithwik Projects Pvt. Ltd, an infrastructure developing company with interests in irrigation projects and energy.
From the state of Telangana, controversial Lok Sabha MP from Nizamabad, Dharmapuri Arvind is the only possible contender. He is a former cricketer and the son of a former three-time legislator, D Srinivas from Congress. He defeated KCR's daughter Kavita in the elections.
The reshuffle is expected to focus on states where Assembly elections will be held next like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab along with accommodating senior leaders who have been replaced in their respective state cabinets.