Modi may reshuffle
Cabinet, Shiv Sena (Shinde) to join
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi is likely to undertake a reshuffle of his 77- member Council of
Ministers sooner than expected. In a way, the PM will be selecting his
‘War-team’ before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The BJP has made organizational
changes and office-bearers have been given the task to ensure victory of its
candidates in 144 Lok Sabha seats which the party could not win in 2019. The
Ministers are part of this exercise. There are indications that
gubernatorial changes may also take place soon. Reports suggest that the RSS Chief
Mohan Bhagwat also met the PM during his recent stay in Delhi. With the
“Shradh” period over on September 25, Modi may undertake this exercise soon.
It is learnt that Modi
is toying with the idea of sending a new face in Madhya Pradesh and Shivraj Singh
Chouhan may be brought to Delhi. Similarly, there is talk of Fisheries Minister
Parshottam Rupala’s services being utilized before the Gujarat Assembly
polls. The performance of a couple of ministers handling key
infrastructure ministries was not satisfactory and their departments may either
be changed or they may be shown the door. The Shiv Sena (Shinde)’s party is
also to be given a representation in the Cabinet. A couple of allies like
Janata Dal (U) and Shiv Sena (Uddhav) quit the Cabinet and the BJP will have to
re-calibrate its strategy in Bihar. The
non-inclusion of Muslims in the Council of Ministers has sent a wrong signal
particularly in the wake of recent exercise of Mohan Bhagwat visiting mosques
and Madrasa and reassuring them. Since 11 state Assemblies are going
to polls before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, PM Modi has a tough task in hand to
induct some new faces.
