The resignation of Uttarakhand minister Premchand Agarwal, following his controversial remarks about hill area natives, has fuelled speculation of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle in the Dhami government.

Reports suggest that the reshuffle may involve the removal of one or two existing ministers and the induction of five to seven new faces.

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According to BJP leaders in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is expected to visit Delhi soon to seek guidance from the party’s central leadership regarding the Cabinet changes.

While there is no immediate political crisis, leaders acknowledge that the reduced size of the state cabinet—now at its lowest in Uttarakhand’s history—could become a concern in the future.

Sources indicate that the reshuffle is likely to take place before March 23, coinciding with the third anniversary of the Dhami government. Four new faces are expected to be inducted into the cabinet.

Agarwal’s removal from the cabinet had been anticipated after Holi, as public discontent against him grew in the hill regions.

Despite efforts by BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt and Agarwal himself to mitigate the controversy, persistent backlash within the party further intensified the situation.

Bhatt had advised Agarwal to refrain from making controversial statements and had submitted a report on the hill-plain divide to the central leadership. Following this, the party’s central leadership sought direct feedback from the Chief Minister and the State President before ultimately asking Agarwal to resign, assessing the political risks involved.

As per regulations, the Uttarakhand government can have up to 12 cabinet ministers. However, with Agarwal’s exit, the Dhami cabinet is now left with only seven ministers, including the Chief Minister.

Currently, Dhami can induct up to five new ministers, but this number could increase if the central leadership advises him to drop one or two more ministers.

Meanwhile, BJP MLAs aspiring for cabinet positions have already started lobbying their patrons in Delhi, hoping to be included in the final list of names that the Chief Minister will present to the central leadership during his upcoming visit.