Harsh Sanghvi, 43, becomes Gujarat's youngest Deputy CM, retaining Home portfolio influence amid BJP's youth outreach.
19 fresh faces, including Rivaba Jadeja (cricketer's wife as MoS), Jitendra Vaghani, and Arjun Modhwadia, boost diversity.
Balanced caste mix (8 OBC, 6 Patidar) and 3 women ministers signal BJP's social engineering for electoral gains.
In a major reshuffle, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel's new 26-member cabinet was sworn in at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on October 17, 2025, blending youth, caste balance, and women representation. The ceremony, attended by Governor Acharya Devvrat and BJP National President JP Nadda, saw 19 new inductees and the retention of six ministers, with nine dropped to infuse fresh energy ahead of upcoming polls.
Harsh Sanghvi, the 43-year-old former Home Minister and Surat MLA, took oath as Deputy Chief Minister, becoming the youngest to hold the post in Gujarat's history. A three-time MLA since 2012, Sanghvi's elevation signals BJP's focus on young leaders.
Among the highlights, Rivaba Jadeja, wife of cricketer Ravindra Jadeja and BJP MLA from Jamnagar North, was inducted as Minister of State, marking her political debut post-2022 assembly win. Other new faces include former BJP chief Jitendra Vaghani, veteran Arjun Modhwadia, and women leaders Darshna Vaghela and Manisha Vakil.
The cabinet reflects social engineering: eight OBCs, six Patidars, four tribals, three SCs, two Kshatriyas, and one each from Brahmin and Jain communities, with three women ministers. Dropped ministers include Mulu Bera and Bhanuben Babaria. Retained ones: Kanubhai Desai, Praful Pansheriya, and Parshottam Solanki.
This expansion, the first major under Patel since 2021, aims to strengthen BJP's base in the state it has dominated since 1995.
.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max&format=webp&w=376&dpr=2.0)
