Gujarat Cabinet Reshuffle: Harsh Sanghavi Named Deputy CM; Gujarat Welcomes Rivaba Jadeja
Gujarat expands cabinet with Harsh Sanghavi as Deputy CM and Rivaba Jadeja inducted ahead of 2027 polls.
In a meticulously orchestrated cabinet reshuffle, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Gujarat inducted 19 new ministers on October 17, 2025, elevating Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi to Deputy Chief Minister and welcoming Rivaba Jadeja, wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja, as a minister. Governor Acharya Devvrat administered oaths to 26 ministers, including Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, in a ceremony where participants held the Bhagavad Gita, underscoring the party's ideological commitment.
The revamped lineup, limited to Gujarat's cap of 27 ministers, reflects a blend of caste arithmetic—seven Patidars, eight OBCs, three Scheduled Castes, four Scheduled Tribes, and three women—and political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Sanghavi's ascension, as only the sixth Deputy Chief Minister in Gujarat's history since 1960, signals the BJP's grooming of young leadership, following predecessors like Keshubhai Patel and Nitin Patel. Of the previous 17-member cabinet, just six were retained, with 10 dropped, including four former Congress turncoats: Balwantsinh Rajput, Bhikhusinh Parmar, Kunwarji Halpati, and Raghavji Patel—leaving only Kunwarji Bavaliya and Arjun Modhwadia.
The purge extends to Saurashtra representation, where Mulu Bera, Raghavji Patel, and Bhanuben Babaria were ousted, paving the way for Rivaba Jadeja's entry to bolster women's quotas and celebrity appeal in Jamnagar.
The reshuffle also marks comebacks and reinforcements: former BJP state president Jitu Vaghani returns as Education Minister, strengthening Bhavnagar's influence, while Kaushik Vekaria's promotion highlights Amreli's organizational clout. Chief Minister Patel personally notified retained ministers, and state BJP chief Jagdish Vishwakarma briefed newcomers, ensuring a seamless transition. Parshottam Solanki remains a Saurashtra holdover, maintaining regional balance amid the broader infusion of fresh talent.
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As Gujarat's BJP eyes electoral consolidation, this cabinet overhaul serves as both administrative refresh and a bold statement of continuity with innovation. With 26 ministers now sworn in—eight cabinet rank and 17 ministers of state—the party positions itself for governance efficiency and voter outreach, merging loyalty, legacy, and optics in a calculated bid to sustain its dominance through 2027.
Also Read: All 16 Gujarat Ministers Resign Ahead of Cabinet Reset as BJP Prepares New Line-Up
