A fresh round of political tremors has begun in Madhya Pradesh after the BJP-led NDA won the Bihar assembly election results, with strong indications that a major cabinet reshuffle may soon take place in the Dr Mohan Yadav government.
Highly placed sources have confirmed to NDTV that the performance report of all state ministers prepared on four detailed parameters has already been submitted to the BJP's central leadership. The assessment, conducted as the government completes two years in office this December, is believed to have opened doors for new faces in the cabinet while pushing some existing ministers toward organisational responsibilities.
As per sources, the report card evaluates ministers on four key criteria – innovation and implementation of new initiatives in their departments; effectiveness in executing state and central government schemes, including major campaigns such as the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra; coordination between the government and the party organisation; and the minister's ground-level engagement with workers, officials, and the public. District-level performance has also been scrutinised closely; ministers were judged on the time they spent in their assigned districts, the number of development meetings they attended, night halts in villages, and Chaupals held to directly engage with citizens.
With four ministerial berths currently vacant in the 31-member cabinet, the timing of the report has fuelled intense speculation. The cabinet expansion or reshuffle expected to follow is likely to address regional balance and strengthen the government ahead of the 2028 assembly elections.
It is not just ministers who are under the scanner. MLAs were recently asked to prepare a detailed four-year development roadmap for their constituencies. Their use of MLA funds, implementation of welfare schemes, and engagement with local issues have all been evaluated. These reports, too, will be presented to the Chief Minister, signaling that the review exercise is far broader than just a cabinet adjustment.
When NDTV asked the Chief Minister whether a reshuffle was imminent now that the report is ready, he replied carefully but significantly. "Our party is an all-India party. The Honourable Prime Minister (Narendra Modi), Amit Shah, and JP Nadda are our National President. Our party operates under their leadership," he said. "A two-year review is natural. Whatever the party decides, we are bound by it. Opportunities come after the merits of many lifetimes. Work has to be done, and we should do it."
His response neither confirmed nor denied the possibility, further intensifying the political buzz in Bhopal.
According to sources, the BJP may consider implementing the "Gujarat formula" in Madhya Pradesh, under which several senior MLAs could be inducted into the cabinet, while some existing ministers may be shifted to key roles within the party organisation. The upcoming appointment of a new national BJP president may also play a major role in determining which senior leaders from Madhya Pradesh find a place in the central team. Only after this organisational picture becomes clear will the final shape of the Mohan Yadav cabinet emerge.
When the current cabinet was formed, the BJP's primary focus was on the Lok Sabha elections, leading to a deliberate caste-calibrated structure.
Twelve ministers, including the Chief Minister, represent the OBC community, which holds significant influence in Madhya Pradesh. Nine ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, are from upper-caste groups, while five Scheduled Tribe and five Scheduled Caste MLAs have ministerial berths. With Bihar elections concluded and the focus shifting to governance and the 2028 state polls, sources say these caste equations are likely to be re-adjusted.
The buzz in political circles is that two senior BJP MLAs who previously held ministerial positions may return to the cabinet.
An MLA who joined the BJP from the Congress is also being considered for a ministerial opportunity, while two women MLAs may find space in the expanded team. At least three current ministers are believed to be facing the possibility of removal based on their performance scores.
