CM Mamata to soon reshuffle cabinet, likely to drop some ministers and bring new faces

Kolkata (The Uttam Hindu): A phase-wise reshuffle in the West Bengal cabinet is likely to start from the beginning of the next year with the process expected to be completed within the next two to three months. Sources in the Trinamool Congress said the proposed reshuffle will be mainly concentrated on those departments that are directly related to public services. The Chief Minister wants to bring more efficiency in the functioning of these departments keeping in mind the Assembly elections in the state in 2026.

There might be a few aspects to this reshuffle. The first is that certain important departments, which are directly connected to public services, are being managed by some ministers who are also in charge of other departments. A party insider said the Chief Minister is considering dedicating one minister each for those crucial departments to improve the efficiency in functioning there. “In that case, there are high possibilities of new faces being inducted in the cabinet,” he added.

The second part of the reshuffle would be to change the departments of certain existing ministers according to the requirements. In that case, too, the party sources said that some existing ministers might lose their ministerial portfolios and be replaced by new faces. The third part, sources added, will be elevating some existing ministers of state (independent) charge to cabinet ministers. “Discussion on the reshuffle in the state cabinet started in August this year. If everything goes in the right direction, the process is expected to start from the beginning of the next year,” the party insider said.

Recently the Chief Minister had given clear guidelines identifying individuals, who would be handling the party matters, legislative affairs and administrative affairs. The CM had made it clear that in these three areas “old guards” will be her priority over “new blood”. She also hinted towards reviewing the functioning of the current leadership of the youth and students wing of Trinamool Congress.