Modi Cabinet reshuffle likely on Tuesday, poll-bound states to get a boost

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will expand his Cabinet on Tuesday, 5 July.

The last cabinet expansion had taken place in November 2014.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis arrived in Delhi on 3 July. He will meet party president to discuss the Cabinet expansion. Last week, Fadnavis had said that the state Cabinet expansion would be held before the monsoon session and immediately after the expansion of the Union Cabinet.

According to reports, there is a likelihood of smaller parties getting a berth during the cabinet expansion.

The Prime Minister has been holding consultations on the cabinet reshuffle with senior party colleagues including BJP chief Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Sources state that two new faces from Uttar Pradesh are likely to be inducted. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal and State Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbabs Naqvi are set to be promoted.

No changes are indicated at the North and South block and the top four portfolios-home, finance, external affairs and defence-are unlikely to be touched.

--ANI