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Modi to reshuffle cabinet tomorrow, UP leaders expected to get berths

Sources say that two new faces from poll-bound Uttar Pradesh are likely to be inducted.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will expand his Cabinet on Tuesday and major changes in portfolios are expected.

According to reports, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who also holds the portfolio of Information and Broadcasting Ministry may be relieved of the additional charge.

Principal spokesperson of the government Frank Norhona tweeted that the 'cabinet expansion' would take place tomorrow at 11 a.m.

There is word that several leaders from Uttar Pradesh, which goes to polls early next year, will be inducted in the new Cabinet.

Read: No talks with Sena on Cabinet expansion: Uddhav Thackeray

Anupriya Patel, Lok Sabha MP from BJP’s UP ally Apna Dal, met party chief Amit Shah in the morning.

Others who met Shah today were Purushottam Rupala, a BJP Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat, Arjun Ram Meghwal from Rajasthan, S S Ahluwali, BJP MP from Darjeeling, and Ramdas Athawale, BJP ally from Maharashtra.

Read: 'Cosmetic changes' in Cabinet won't help Modi government: Opposition

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also flew to Delhi on Sunday and would meet the party president to discuss the Cabinet expansion.

Last week, Fadnavis had said the state Cabinet expansion would be held before Parliament's monsoon session and immediately after the expansion of the Union Cabinet.

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

The Prime Minister Narendra 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 were 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.

The last Cabinet expansion had taken place in November 2014.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle with agency inputs )
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