Raipur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent three-day visit to Chhattisgarh, which concluded on August 25, has ignited speculation about a possible expansion of the Vishnu Deo Sai cabinet in the near future.
During his visit, Mr. Shah met with several senior BJP leaders in the state, including former Chief Minister Raman Singh, State BJP Organizing Secretary Pawan Sai, Raipur BJP MP Brij Mohan Agrawal, and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. These meetings have fueled speculation about an impending cabinet expansion, sources said on Tuesday.
When Mr. Sai formed his government in December 2023, one cabinet position remained vacant. Another position became vacant when Mr. Agrawal was elected to the Lok Sabha and subsequently resigned from the state Assembly.
"Mr. Shah met with several senior BJP leaders during his visit to Chhattisgarh. While the details of these meetings remain undisclosed, speculation about a cabinet expansion has been growing," a senior BJP functionary, who requested anonymity, told this newspaper on Tuesday.
According to sources, the cabinet expansion has been delayed for some time. It was initially expected to take place before the recently concluded budget session of the Assembly. However, the expansion was postponed to avoid potential infighting within the party.
The Chhattisgarh BJP is reportedly divided into two primary factions—one led by former Chief Minister Dr. Singh and the other by Mr. Agrawal. Both factions have been actively lobbying the Central party leadership to secure cabinet positions for their respective candidates.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai is widely regarded as a neutral leader who strives to maintain unity within the party.
The council of ministers headed by Mr. Sai currently has a strength of 11.
