Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited his constituency Varanasi on Friday, did not attend the Parliamentary Board meeting today.
Speculation about which BJP leaders will get a place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet in the reshuffle on Sunday continued today, with singer-turned-politician Babul Supriyo and senior party leader from Bihar Rajiv Pratap Rudy joining the list of rumored probables. Both have reportedly been asked to be in Delhi, where the new ministers are expected to be sworn-in tomorrow afternoon.
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The BJP's Parliamentary Board, a body comprising top party leaders, met in Delhi today morning. "Two points were discussed - about the Goa legislative party leader and the Rajya Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh," said BJP leader JP Nadda.
Laxmikant Parsekar was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Goa today, after his predecessor Manohar Parrikar resigned today afternoon. Mr Parrikar is tipped to become the country's next Defence Minister.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend the Parliamentary Board meeting, which was chaired by BJP chief Amit Shah. PM Modi, who returned from his constituency Varanasi today morning, met veteran leader LK Advani to wish him on his birthday.
The list of new ministers is expected to balance regional aspirations and electoral considerations. Ally Telugu Desam Party is set to get more ministers, sources said.
Another ally Shiv Sena was also expected to get more Cabinet berths. But Anand Geete, the only Sena minister in the Cabinet, was reportedly called back tonight by party chief Uddhav Thackeray before a meeting with PM Modi, said sources.
The Cabinet expansion, which will be held at the Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, is expected to begin at 1.30 pm on Sunday, sources said.
Ahead of the swearing-in, Prime Minister Modi will meet all of those who will be inducted, over "tea and dhokla" and is expected to deliver a pep talk before they leave for Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Olympic Silver medalist Rajyawardhan Rathore is a hot contender to become minister. He won from Rajasthan in the national election; the state gave all 25 parliamentary seats to the BJP, but has only one central minister right now.
Also in the list of probable new ministers are Giriraj Singh and Ramkirpal Yadav of Bihar, which will vote for a new assembly next year. Both the BJP lawmakers represent powerful Bihar vote-banks. Another leader from Bihar, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, may also get a ministerial berth, said sources.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP spokesman for a long time and one of the party's most prominent Muslim faces, could also be made a minister, sources said.
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