PM’s Call for Meeting Triggers Cabinet Rejig Talk: Who’s In, Who’s Out if Changes Do Take…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a meeting of the council of ministers on Monday (July 3) has triggered talk of changes in the union cabinet. With the Lok Sabha elections less than a year away and a host of states to go to polls, the speculation is gaining momentum by the hour. What’s more is that the BJP top brass, including union home minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda and the party’s general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, held long deliberations at the prime minister’s residence late on Wednesday sparking a buzz in the power corridors.

Ministers of state to be changed too?

If indeed Prime Minister Modi decides to go ahead with the reshuffle, it will not be limited to cabinet ministers alone, News18 has learnt. Many ministers of state will also be changed as there is much dissatisfaction with the “casual approach” of some.

But if at all a rejig takes place, there is much talk of a powerful cabinet minister, who has risen from within the organisation, to be asked to go back to the ‘sangathan’. Perceived to be a “punishment appointment”, Kiren Rijiju has already been moved to the ministry of earth sciences from the high-profile law and justice ministry.

Now, Arjun Ram Meghwal – from poll-bound Rajasthan – is incharge of the law portfolio along with parliamentary affairs. Last month, there was a sudden announcement that SP Singh Baghel, who was minister of state for law and justice, was made the new junior health minister.

According to sources, if and when the cabinet changes take place, West Bengal’s share is likely to be slashed. As of now, the state has four MoS and is likely to lose at least two. Sources in the BJP said apart from one, who is known to be close to Amit Shah, the rest are unsure about the next reshuffle whenever it happens.

“Whenever it happens, this will be a political reshuffle. No technocrats will be inducted. It will be done with an eye to win elections – plain and simple,” said a BJP leader on condition of anonymity.

It is likely that party MPs from Chhattisgarh – where an election is due – will be brought into the cabinet. The BJP has eight MPs in the state, where the Congress is seemingly smoothing out differences within by appointing chief minister Bhupesh Baghel’s bitter rival TS Singh Deo as his deputy.

Though no one in the BJP is sure about when the changes will take place – with Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi gone from the cabinet and PM Modi’s determined outreach to Pasmanda Muslims – there is enough indication that a minority MP may be brought in as minister. One source, however, told News18 that this does not necessarily mean they will be given the minority affairs portfolio as has been the norm. The ministry is being headed by Smriti Irani for now.

But will the reshuffle take place after all?

The monsoon session of Parliament is expected to start in the third week of July. There is talk about a reshuffle all the more because of the PM’s late-night huddle and the fact that he has called a meeting of the council of ministers on July 3, where their performance may be a key point of deliberation. But the moot question remains, will there be one after all?

There was similar speculation in January, too, before the Budget session was to begin. Back then, the buzz was that a reshuffle may soon take place after the BJP national executive on January 16 and 17. But nothing of the sort happened.

As a senior BJP functionary put it: “Who said there’s a reshuffle in the first place? Look, no one knows when or if a reshuffle will happen. No general secretaries are aware of it, and no vice-presidents know about it. And I suspect very few ministers would know. But yes, after yesterday’s meeting and the announcement of a meeting on July 3, even we think there may be one.”

“But for all you know, this time as well there’s no reshuffle and, one fine day, when you are least expecting it, you will get a press release about appointments,” the functionary added.