PM, Shah meet BJP CMS, cabinet rejig in offing?

BJP prez postpones Chennai trip

CHENNAI/DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah met chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of all party ruled states on Monday to take stock of development and social welfare work being done.

Besides 13 chief ministers and six deputy chief ministers, a few cabinet ministers attended the meeting, according to sources in the party.

This was Modi’s third meeting with the chief ministers after the BJP swept to power in 2014, but the first such exercise since it formed a government in Bihar by joining hands with the JD(U).

The discussions in the meeting revolved around implementation of the Centre’s flagship schemes in the states and development works being done there, they said.

The meeting is being organised just days after Shah unfolded the blue print for 2019 elections.

Shah had asked party leaders to focus on about 120 winnable seats which party lost in 2014 elections and is aiming for more than 350 in the next general elections.

Meanwhile, bjp president Amit Shah has postponed his three-day tour to Tamil Nadu, which was scheduled from Tuesday, amid speculation of a reshuffle in the Union cabinet.

“He has postponed his visit because his stay in the national capital was deemed to be more important in the coming few days,” a senior party leader said today when asked about the reason for the postponement. He did not wish to be quoted.

In a statement, Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Sounderrajan said Shah had to postpone his visit due to a meeting with the party chief ministers in Delhi on Monday and his subsequent requirement in various other important meetings.

As a result, his visit to Tamil Nadu as part of the 95-day nation wide tour has been postponed, she said.

The new schedule for his visit would be announced later, she added.

This is the second time Shah has deferred his trip to the southern state. He was earlier scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu in May but it was postponed as well.

BJP sources also did not rule out the possibility of a Cabinet reshuffle which could see induction of members of the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U), which joined the NDA last Saturday.

With an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP chief is travelling across the country.