The BJP Parliamentary Board meeting is underway in New Delhi. The meeting will give final touch to the list of leaders joining the Union Council of Ministers. It is also expected to take a decision to select a new Chief Minister of Goa to replace Manohar Parrikar. The meeting is being attended by party president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP General Secretary J P Nadda, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chahuhan among others.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will expand the Council of Ministers tomorrow. Around a dozen new ministers are likely to be inducted. Besides Mr Parrikar, the other names doing the rounds for induction are Jayant Sinha, son of former Minister Yashwant Sinha, BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, party leader from Haryana, Choudhary Birender Singh, MPs, Col. Sonaram Chaudhary and Hansraj Ahir. Some leaders of NDA allies like Shiv Sena and TDP are also expected to be inducted. There is a possibility that some ministers with independent charge may be elevated to the cabinet rank and Ministers holding several portfolios may be divested of some of the ministries.