Modi readies Cabinet reshuffle

​New Delhi: The BJP top brass is engrossed in the Central Cabinet reshuffle exercise of late. Two years down the line and armed with performance reports of his Cabinet members, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to effect the required changes any time now.

With the BJP's national executive meet too coming to an end at Allahabad three days ago, the decks are now cleared for the ‘political exercise’. BJP president Amit Shah had hinted nearly three weeks ago at a press conference that the reshuffle was certainly on cards and the PM and he had already begun the evaluation.

• No indication yet on inclusions, exclusions
• Some to be drafted for party work in UP
• Factors like UP Assembly polls come in to play

He, however, refused to divulge further on the issue asserting "I am not going to discuss it with you. A lot of factors have to be taken into account". The exercise in fact had begun soon after the elections to the four state Assemblies.

The move is being termed as complicate as it is a multi-layer exercise - Cabinet reshuffle, recasting Amit Shah's team and picking up Governors for some of the States. Sources in the party admit that while the reshuffle itself could be a major one - not in the sense of too many changes, but in moving out a couple of key leaders for party work in the upcoming UP Assembly elections would have a bearing on the same.

The focus of the party was on the Allahabad national executive and the 'success' of the same in terms of the huge turnout at the concluding public meeting have peppered the top brass of the party and it is now ready to put its 'Operation UP' in place with the rejig of the Cabinet.

Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are said to be contemplating enlisting a couple of senior Ministers from the Cabinet for party work in UP. Though no one is sure whether the party would prefer to make any of the existing Cabinet members as its CM face of UP, it would certainly draw from their strengths, sources said.

It would be interesting to note whether the portfolio (Finanace) of Arun Jaitley would be changed at this crucial juncture of reforms, it is being said. The fate of the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is also hanging balance as the party is mulling over whether he would be useful as a star campaigner in the UP elections.

Though Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani, remains one of the BJP's star campaigner in taking on the Nehru-Gandhi clan in the latter's home State, there is little to indicate that Modi would prefer to relegate her to party work as that could send wrong signals, in view of the anti-Smriti campaign of the Opposition and the campaign of a section of the civil society due to several controversies she was involved in.

However, one name that is making rounds as the most probable Minister to be transferred for the party work job is that of Union Minister of Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh. Both Rajnath and Radha Mohan Singh are tight lipped about this ‘de-promotion’ and have not hinted their willingness despite facing pressure from the media in this regard.

As for Arun Jaitley, Modi is said to be not so happy as the economic agenda has not been pushed through properly. Though, there are several reasons to it including political opposition, a change in portfolio is still being talked about in his case. "Major tax reforms are stuck and this is not a happy situation for the government. However, seeking a replacement is also dicey as Modi does not want to disturb the goings on in haste", sources add.

The party "is looking at its OBC options which it feels would be crucial to the electoral calculations of UP. It is eyeing Eastern UP carefully and is certain to place the baton in the right hands", sources said. But, it is not being ruled out that there won't be any pressure on Rajnath Singh as his considerable stature in UP places him way above others in the race for UP CM post.

By: W Chandrakanth