Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will rejig his cabinet amid a spate of consultations and series of meetings between the BJP legislators and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi.

This was confirmed by the BJP state in-charge Dushyant Gautam on Tuesday. He said, “Reshuffle in the state cabinet will happen as talks and consultations pertaining to it are over and final nod from central leadership is awaited. Nothing more should be read from the meetings of the state leaders with the PM.”

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As the state was reeling under rain inflicted disaster and rescue operations politics in Uttarakhand suddenly took a twist when party legislators started calling upon the prime minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah one after another in the last 15-20 days. This raised many an eyebrow in the state fuelling speculations as to change of guard at the highest level in the government or a major reshuffle in the Dhami cabinet.

“Things began with a surprising half an hour meeting of cabinet minister Dhan Singh Rawat with the Prime minister on July 25. This was followed by another similar meeting with Amit Shah. Although Rawat claimed his meetings with Modi and Shah were only courtesy calls to compliment the PM on forming his third consecutive government at the Centre, BJP leaders in Dehradun said, “There was more than what meets the eye. This was an unusual development in a BJP ruled state.”

Dhan Singh’s meetings were followed by former CM Tirath Singh Rawat calling upon Modi. After this, the prime minister gave a substantial 25-30 minutes hearing to another former CM and Haridwar Lok Sabha MP Trivendra Singh Rawat. He also had a brief sitting with Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal followed by Nainital Lok Sabha MP Ajay Bhatt, Pauri Lok Sabha MP Anil Baluni and Tehri Lok Sabha MP Mala Rajalaxmi Shah.

“It’s interesting that these meetings between Uttarakhand MPs and the prime minister were held in the last 15-20 days. We hardly see the PM meeting all big leaders back to back unless it’s poll time or any other political development in the state. Sudden spurt in state leaders’ meeting the PM was bound to fuel speculation of something big happening. We were confused as to the final outcome,” said a senior BJP leader and former state general secretary under condition of anonymity.

However, now it’s clear that the meetings were about Dhami cabinet rejig after a nod from central leadership. There is nothing more to read about state leaders’ meetings with the prime minister or chief minister. Party’s state in-charge and subsequently chief minister himself have clarified that consultations about possible cabinet reshuffle are over and it will happen in time.

“The meetings of the state legislators with the prime minister are a normal activity as every leader gets time from the PMO to meet the prime minister. It’s fortunate that Uttarakhand BJP leaders were given time to meet PM one after another,” said BJP’s state spokesperson and state media in charge Manvir Singh Chauhan.