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MODI CABINET RESHUFFLE BUZZ GATHERS STEAM

Among the prominent new names doing the rounds are Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sarbananda Sonowal and Dr Devi Shetty.

There is a buzz that the Prime Minister could reshuffle his cabinet in June, most probably once Covid’s second surge has abated. Amongst party circles and RSS corridors, there is a feeling that the Modi cabinet needs a facelift. It has been found wanting in the face of recent challenges. Moreover, the reshuffle is long overdue.

Waiting in the wings rather conspicuously is Jyotiraditya Scindia. Will he get a cabinet berth that is rumoured to have been promised to him for crossing over? Certainly, Scindia would add to the bench strength of the government. Will he get an economic portfolio or one with more heft such as the HRD one? (There is speculation that the current HRD minister could be shifted out, however, his strongest backer remains a Hindutva icon, outside the party.)

After Hemanta Biswa Sarma’s elevation as Chief Minister, there is some hope in the Scindia camp that his Congress baggage won’t drag him down. But, at the end of the day, Sarma too had to wait for his dues, despite his high performance ratings. An offshoot of Assam polls could also see ex-CM Sarbanda Sonowal getting into the Cabinet. Regardless, he is tipped for a Rajya Sabha seat.

However, what is of concern during Covid times is the health portfolio. There is a buzz that Dr Devi Shetty would be given the health portfolio. Chairman and founder of Narayana Health, Dr Shetty has been a visible face on television and Twitter, defending the Central government and the Prime Minister against critics. He is currently a part of the Karnataka government’s Covid Task Force. Whether the PM brings in Shetty or someone else, there is an argument in favour of giving this crucial ministry to a professional with credibility instead of a politician. The current minister, despite being a doctor himself, is not able to deliver the right optics.

Initially during the first phase of Covid, Dr Harsh Vardhan (Cabinet minister, Health) kept a low profile with the health secretary holding the daily briefings. However of late, it is Harsh Vardhan who has been in the limelight and despite his medical credentials, he has not been able to enthuse the right confidence. Rather, it is the understated but reassuring AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleiria who has emerged as the sane voice from the government’s side. 

Will Bhupendra Yadav be included? He is certainly one of the most hands-on general secretaries in the current set up, working quietly behind the scenes during key state elections. The key question remains as to whether the party can spare him. Another former Chief Minister whose name is doing the rounds is Devendra Fadnavis, who is said to be in the PM’s good books, but not the Home Minister’s. Fadnavis was given charge of the Bihar polls, along with the state in charge Bhupendra Yadav last year. However, before the campaign ended, Fadnavis was down with Covid and had to self-isolate.

Other names doing the rounds is Sushil Modi, who has been sidelined from the state polls due to his proximity to JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar. But again, he has a tenuous equation with the other more powerful Modi, making his entry not quite a sure thing.

There is also a feeling that the government is losing the communication war. Will that lead to a change in the I&B minister with a more “forceful” personality replacing the genial Prakash Javdekar? Railways Minister Piyush Goyal seems to have retrieved some of his lost ground with his Oxygen Express trains, which have certainly fared better than the special trains to ferry migrant workers back to their homes during the first wave.

Another quiet performer has been Hardeep Singh Puri, both on the civil aviation front with his Vande Bharat flights and also his handling of that hot potato, the Central Vista Project. It has taken all of Puri’s articulation and diplomatic skills to handle the barrage of criticism on the project.

Another question being asked is about the role of Nitin Gadkari. Known to be one of the performers of the earlier Modi government, his role has been cut down considerably during the PM’s second term. Will he be given a chance to emerge from the sidelines once again?

After the SAD’s exit from the government, and Ram Vilas Paswan›s demise, there is no ally at the cabinet level within the government. Expect the JD(U) and Chirag Paswan to be offered a seat at the table. Both within the RSS and the BJP, the consensus seems to be that if there is one thing that the Prime Minister needs to do, it is to give an urgent and much needed facelift to his current team. But in order to get a credible team in place, the PM may need to give more heft to expertise and experience instead of loyalty when he does reshuffle his pack.

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