PM Modi to announce mega Cabinet expansion soon, know who can secure a berth

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to expand his cabinet in the coming days for the first time after his landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections 2019. As per media reports, as many as 81 members will be a part of the new cabinet.

PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP Chief JP Nadda have held several meetings over the past few weeks in this regard. The cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place with a focus on upcoming elections in five states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur next year.

Notably, PM Modi has not expanded his Cabinet ever since he returned to power in 2019. Several ministers in the Modi cabinet hold more than one portfolio. The sole criteria for the Cabinet reshuffle will be performance, reports suggest.

The shuffle expected in a day or two may reward Jyotiraditya Scindia, whose defection from the Congress last year helped the BJP take back Madhya Pradesh; and Sarbananda Sonowal, who made way for Himanta Biswa Sarma as Assam Chief Minister after the BJP won a second term.

However, it is not clear whether Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United will finally join the Union Cabinet or not. In 2019, the upset Bihar Chief Minister had rejected the BJP's offer of one ministry and had opted to stay out. 

The Union Cabinet can have 81 members and currently, there are just 53 ministers. This means that there is an option of 28 ministers who can be included in the Cabinet.