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Rajya Sabha & After

The BJP’s Rajya Sabha list has thrown up some interesting questions. And all of them lead to the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle. For one, the denial of a Rajya Sabha to Cabinet Minister Hardeep Puri would mean that he may have to leave the Council of Ministers once his term comes to an end in December this year. He is also the only Sikh face in the cabinet and with Punjab elections round the corner, will Narendra Modi find a replacement from Punjab? Don’t forget that Ravneet Singh Bittu’s term was also not renewed in 2026. However, around that time Sardar Taranjit Singh Sandhu was named Lt Governor, Delhi. But that still leaves the Union ministry without a Sikh representation.

Also the denial of a Rajya Sabha seat to a headquarter candidate who has just been rehabilitated as a party general secretary has also raised eyebrows, for the said notable was expected to make the list. One reason for this could be that the entire Rajya Sabha list from Uttar Pradesh is said to have been crafted by the Prime Minister in consultation with the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath keeping Uttar Pradesh elections in mind. Yogi’s antipathy to that (now nixed) candidate is a widely speculated topic of conversation within the BJP (and outside). As a party senior commented wryly, the surprise would have been the inclusion, and not exclusion. Well, until the next shortlist.

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