Saurashtra regains prominence in Gujarat politics with Nine Ministers

Ahmedabad | Gujarat — Saurashtra representation in Gujarat cabinet expansion has once again taken center stage in state politics. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s cabinet reshuffle has given Saurashtra a significant boost, with nine MLAs from the region securing ministerial posts. The move reflects BJP’s strategic effort to balance caste equations, strengthen regional influence, and address growing political challenges in the Saurashtra-Kutch belt.

Earlier, there were five ministers from Saurashtra in the cabinet. Now, with the inclusion of nine, the region’s political weight has substantially increased — signaling the BJP’s intent to solidify its rural and coastal voter base ahead of future elections.

Saurashtra-Kutch gets 9 ministers in new cabinet

In the newly expanded 26-member council of ministers, every fourth minister hails from Saurashtra, underlining the region’s growing importance in Gujarat’s political landscape.

List of Saurashtra ministers:

Kanti Amrutia (Morbi)

Kunvarji Bavaliya (Jasdan)

Rivaba Jadeja (Jamnagar North)

Arjun Modhwadia (Porbandar)

Dr. Pradyumansinh Vaja (Kodinar)

Kaushik Vekaria (Amreli)

Parshottam Solanki (Bhavnagar Rural)

Jitu Vaghani (Bhavnagar West)

Trikam Chhanga (Anjar)

This deliberate inclusion ensures that major districts across the Saurashtra zone are represented, countering previous criticisms that the region’s voice was fading in Gandhinagar after Vijay Rupani’s exit.

Only two ministers retained from the old cabinet

After the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections, Bhupendra Patel’s cabinet included only 17 ministers — with five from Saurashtra. However, in the latest reshuffle, only Kunvarji Bavaliya and Parshottam Solanki have been retained. Senior leaders Mulu Bera, Raghavji Patel, and Bhanuben Babariya have been dropped, signaling a generational and strategic shift in the party’s power structure.

This change mirrors BJP’s “no-repeat” formula, emphasizing youth, new energy, and caste balance, especially among Patidar and Koli communities — crucial vote banks in Saurashtra.

Arjun Modhwadia likely to get a key portfolio

Among the most prominent new entrants is Arjun Modhwadia, the veteran politician from Porbandar and a former Congress state president, who joined the BJP in March 2024. Having won his seat again in the 2022 elections, Modhwadia was expected to be accommodated in the earlier reshuffle. His inclusion now is seen as BJP’s acknowledgment of his stature and his influence in coastal Saurashtra.

Political analysts believe Modhwadia could be entrusted with a cabinet-rank portfolio, strengthening BJP’s presence among traditional Congress strongholds.

Emerging faces from Rajkot and Jamnagar

The BJP is also expected to induct Uday Kangad, a strong OBC leader from Rajkot, signaling outreach to the Other Backward Classes. Similarly, Darshita Shah, known for her RSS background, is being considered for a ministerial role.

However, one of the most discussed names remains Rivaba Jadeja, the Jamnagar North MLA and wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja. If Rivaba Jadeja is appointed, it will enhance women’s representation in the cabinet, but it could also unsettle existing local equations with senior leaders like Mulu Bera and Poonam Madam.

Balancing equations for 2027

The BJP’s renewed emphasis on Saurashtra comes in the wake of the Aam Aadmi Party’s rise, especially after the Botad farmers’ agitation. The inclusion of young, dynamic leaders from rural and agrarian backgrounds reflects an attempt to consolidate the farmer and youth vote base before the 2027 elections.