Gujarat cabinet overhaul: 19 new ministers inducted, Ravindra Jadeja's wife makes surprise entry

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reshuffled his cabinet on October 17 by inducting 19 new MLAs as ministers, raising the total strength of his council of ministers, including himself, to 26. As part of the reshuffle, Harsh Sanghavi, who previously held the position of Junior Home Minister, was elevated to the position of Deputy Chief Minister. 

The new ministers, along with those who were promoted to cabinet rank or given independent charge of Ministries of State (MoS), took their oaths of office in a ceremony presided over by Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat. 

Sanghavi, who represents the Munjara constituency in Surat city, took the oath of office as the state's new Deputy CM. Until now, Sanghavi served as the Minister of State for Home. His elevation to the deputy CM role, along with other key changes in the cabinet, marks a significant shift in the state's political landscape. 

Notably, Sanghavi and five other MLAs from the previous cabinet remained in the council of ministers despite all 16 ministers tendering their resignations on October 16. However, the resignations of these six were not accepted by the Chief Minister. Among these six ministers, three – Kanubhai Patel, Rushikesh Patel, and Kunvarji Bavalia – were earlier serving in cabinet positions, while Sanghavi, Praful Pansheriya, and Purshottam Solanki held positions as MoS. 

Of the six, only Harsh Sanghavi was elevated to Deputy CM, and Praful Pansheriya was granted MoS with independent charge. Both took fresh oaths of office during the ceremony on Friday. 

The reshuffle saw the induction of several prominent political figures, including Jitu Vaghani, Arjun Modhwadia, and Manisha Vakil. However, the most surprising addition to the cabinet was Rivaba Jadeja, the wife of Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, who was appointed as a Minister of State. 

The reshuffling reflects Bhupendra Patel's efforts to strengthen his administration by bringing in fresh faces and elevating experienced leaders to key positions.