Political Circles Abuzz With Anticipation Of Union Cabinet Reshuffle Ahead Of Elections
New Delhi, June 29, 2023: Speculations are swirling in political circles following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a meeting of the Council of Ministers on July 3. The anticipation of changes in the union cabinet is gaining momentum, driven by the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and multiple state elections on the horizon. Adding fuel to the fire, key members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President JP Nadda, and the party’s General Secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh, engaged in extensive discussions at the Prime Minister’s residence late on Wednesday, triggering a buzz in the power corridors.
Reports indicate that if Prime Minister Modi decides to proceed with a reshuffle, it will extend beyond just cabinet ministers. There is discontentment with the “casual approach” of certain Ministers of State as well. Furthermore, if a reshuffle indeed takes place, there is speculation about a powerful cabinet minister, who has risen from within the party, being reassigned to the party organization. Kiren Rijiju, perceived to be subjected to a “punishment appointment,” has already been moved from the high-profile Law and Justice Ministry to the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
In the recent changes, Arjun Ram Meghwal, hailing from Rajasthan, has taken charge of the Law portfolio along with Parliamentary Affairs. Last month, there was an unexpected announcement that SP Singh Baghel, the Minister of State for Law and Justice, would become the new Junior Health Minister.
Sources suggest that if and when cabinet changes occur, West Bengal might witness a reduction in its representation. Currently, the state has four Ministers of State and is likely to lose at least two. BJP insiders mention that, except for one individual known to be close to Amit Shah, the others are uncertain about their fate in the next reshuffle, whenever it occurs.
Whenever it occurs, this political reshuffle is imminent. No technocrats will be inducted. It will be done to win elections – plain and simple,” revealed a BJP leader anonymously.
It is expected that BJP Members of Parliament from Chhattisgarh, where an election is due, will be brought into the cabinet. With eight MPs in the state, the BJP seems to be bolstering its presence while the Congress resolves internal differences by appointing Bhupesh Baghel’s rival, TS Singh Deo, as his deputy.
Although the exact timing of the changes remains uncertain within the BJP ranks, given Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s departure from the cabinet and PM Modi’s concerted outreach to Pasmanda Muslims, there are indications that a minority MP may be included as a minister. However, sources suggest that this doesn’t necessarily mean they will be assigned the Minority Affairs portfolio, which is currently held by Smriti Irani.
Nevertheless, the looming question persists: will the reshuffle take place? The monsoon session of Parliament is slated to commence in the third week of July, further fuelling speculations surrounding the reshuffle, especially in light of the PM’s late-night huddle and the upcoming council of ministers’ meeting on July 3, where performance evaluations are expected to be a key topic of discussion. However, similar conjectures emerged in January ahead of the Budget session, which eventually yielded no reshuffle.
As a senior BJP functionary expressed, “Who said there’s a reshuffle in the first place? Nobody can predict with certainty whether or when a reshuffle will take place. The knowledge of such a development is not shared among general secretaries or vice presidents, and only a handful of ministers would likely be privy to such information. However, given the recent meeting and the subsequent announcement of another meeting on July 3, even we are inclined to believe that a reshuffle might be on the horizon.
