BJP leadership gives precedence to rule of law over elections

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 27: The NDA Government at the Centre is likely to witness a major Cabinet reshuffle in July-August this year and the BJP is set for an organisational overhaul in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections in some States, but in Manipur, the BJP leadership has given precedence to restoration of law and order over elections.
A joint meeting of BJP and RSS was held last week and it set the stage for an organisational overhaul of the saffron party.
The meeting held at Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s residence at Delhi laid the groundwork for a major BJP revamp.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP president Nitin Nabin, RSS leaders Arun Kumar and Shiv Prakash, and BL Santhosh were present at the meeting which went on for four hours, sources said.
Even though the meeting sought to reinvigorate the party leadership ahead of Assembly polls which are due in the next 18-24 months, the BJP top brass adopted a calibrated approach in Manipur given the law and order situation.
The leadership was in favour of giving time to the newly appointed DGP and Central forces to complete disarmament and restore the rule of law before elections.
Former Ladakh DGP Mukesh Singh assumed the office of DGP Manipur on inter-cadre deputation on June 1, 2026.    
According to the sources, Central agencies including the NIA, CBI, NCB, ED, and intelligence units have intensified operations amid concerns over cross-border terrorism and drug seizures across the country, particularly in the North East.
Manipur has emerged as a spotlight for major drug hauls, becoming a gateway of the Golden Triangle for illegal trade in drugs, arms, timber, and narco-terrorism activities, turning into a narco-epicentre in the NE region. This is highly alarming for National security and regional peace, the sources said.
Considering the present trend, the Union Home Minister has initiated multiple measures to eradicate drug trafficking and its networks in the region, with a special focus on Manipur, directing agencies to act without sparing anyone.
Notably, the BJP-led Government under Y Khemchand has completed five months without Cabinet expansion, which has drawn strong criticism from many quarters.
The BJP State unit also awaits a new president.
The incumbent, now a Rajya Sabha Member, completed her three-year term on June 26, 2024. She took charge on June 26, 2021, after the demise of S Tikendra Singh due to Covid-19 on May 13, 2021.
Her replacement was deferred due to ethnic unrest. Nonetheless, a new president and a new State team are likely soon, said the sources.
According to the sources, Manipur may see a series of course-correction measures in both Government and organisation as part of a strategy to bring the troubled State back on track.
The agenda of the crucial BJP-RSS meeting held last week included restructuring the Central team, pending gubernatorial appointments, and key nominations.
BJP units in Punjab, UP, Uttarakhand, and Goa have been asked to accelerate poll readiness to avoid clashing with the February 2027 Census.
“We want to capitalise on our West Bengal victory. State units must sustain momentum through outreach,” a senior leader said.
He cited Hindu consolidation in Bengal and sees similar potential in UP and Uttarakhand. While UP, Goa, and Punjab expect polls to be advanced by weeks, Uttarakhand has been seeking an earlier date.
Meanwhile, a major reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers is expected between June 27 and July 5, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah having briefed President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday about the schedule, highly placed sources said.
Sources said the reshuffle may follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign trips which  run from June 27 through July 11 but will conclude before the Monsoon Session of Parliament which is scheduled from July 21 to August 21. The exercise is aimed at inducting fresh talents and rewarding performance ahead of key Assembly polls and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Former RBI Governor and Principal Secretary to the PM, Shaktikanta Das, is expected to join with Cabinet rank. Anurag Thakur is likely to return, while Meerut MP Arun Govil’s induction signals cultural outreach before the UP polls.
Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde may get a Cabinet berth, acknowledging the party’s six MPs in the NDA. Khajuraho MP Vishnu Datt Sharma and Maharajganj (Bihar) MP Janardhan Singh Sigriwal are also tipped for regional balance.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman may move to HRD to lead education reforms. Dharmendra Pradhan and Hardeep Singh Puri could take key organisational roles. Manohar Lal Khattar may be relieved of Power, said the sources.
To strengthen the NDA, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is likely to be inducted. In Punjab, RSS functionary Tarun Chugh may replace Ravneet Bittu before State polls.
One Cabinet berth is expected for NDA entrants Raghav Chadha or Ashok Mittal of LPU.