Cabinet rejig likely today; Scindia, Sonowal, Narayan reach Delhi

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 6

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet reshuffle, the first in his second term, is expected tomorrow. The National Capital is abuzz with political activity with several names of probables like Jyotiraditya Scindia, Narayan Rane and Sarbananda Sonowal doing the rounds. All three leaders reached here today.

Focus on new faces, professionals

• The Cabinet has 53 ministers, its strength can go up to 81
• Ahead of reshuffle, Thawarchand Gehlot named Karnataka Guv
• 20-25 ‘new faces and professionals’ likely to be inducted
• JD(U), Apna Dal and LJP faction may be accommodated
• Govt creates Ministry of Co-operation to boost cooperatives

Himachal Governor shifted to Haryana: Besides Thawarchand Gehlot, the new Governors are Bandaru Dattatreya (Haryana), Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar (HP), PS Sreedharan Pillai (Goa), Satyadev Narayan Arya (Tripura), Ramesh Bais (Jharkhand), Hari Babu Kambhampati (Mizoram) and Mangubhai Chhaganbhai Patel (MP)

In another development, Cabinet Minister Thawarchand Gehlot was appointed as the Governor of Karnataka today. The surprise decision confirmed that the reshuffle will be an all-encompassing exercise, involving the needs of the Modi government and political considerations of the BJP.

There has been no official confirmation on the names of new ministers likely to be inducted. However, sources claimed that preference would be given to MPs with “good educational qualification and those having performed well at the grassroots”.

Women, Dalits and members of the OBC community are also expected to be given preference during the reshuffle that follows a massive stock-taking exercise conducted by the PM in the past few days. More than 20 MPs are believed to have “received calls” to be present in Delhi for the next two or three days. Ahead of the reshuffle, eight states today got new governors with President Ram Nath Kovind making four new appointments and transferring four others. Gehlot, who was BJP’s leader in the Rajya Sabha also, became the first minister to lose his berth.

Those in the know of developments say “talent will be rewarded and laggards removed” in the mid-term course correction. The selections have been made considering governance during the pandemic and imperatives of the upcoming state elections, including UP.

Meanwhile, the sources said JD-U chief Nitish Kumar has demanded four berths for his party. The sources said BJP general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh and party chief JP Nadda met former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje. With Thawarchand set to quit as an MP after becoming Governor, his departure will leave the key Rajya Sabha post vacant.