Pradhan May Return to Cabinet in Modi Reshuffle

New Delhi: Forced to quit as Union education minister amid unprecedented student protests over the NEET paper leak and growing concerns over the state of education in the country, BJP Lok Sabha member Dharmendra Pradhan might just be on his way back to power. Amid talks of an impending reshuffle in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's team, speculation is rife that Pradhan could be offered a Cabinet berth. That the former education minister continues to be the "blue-eyed boy" of the ruling dispensation became evident from the way he was accorded a hero's welcome by the BJP MPs when he attended Parliament after his resignation.

After the announcement of BJP president Nitin Nabin’s team, which has a significant number of new faces along with some senior leaders, speculation is rife that the council of ministers could also include new faces along with some reshuffling of portfolios. Commerce minister Piyush Goyal was the only union minister appointed as the national treasurer of the BJP.

Under intense pressure from the CJP and its supporters, who had gathered at the Jantar Mantar last month, Pradhan tendered his resignation on July 25, maintaining that his decision was aimed at safeguarding the student’s future. He also maintained that his decision to resign from the Cabinet was also to prevent “anti-national forces” from exploiting the nationwide protests. Two days after Pradhan's resignation, his party colleagues presented him with a ceremonial cap and escorted him inside the Parliament when he went to attend the recently concluded Monsoon Session.

With the BJP-led NDA government’s efforts in passing the women's reservation amendment bill, there are talks within the ruling party that some more women leaders could also be inducted. Some of the NDA allies could also see their representative getting included in Team Modi during the reshuffle, or so claim reports.