Cabinet reshuffle possible before PM’s Beijing trip

Prime Minister Modi called a meeting of his council of ministers on Wednesday evening in the capital leading to a speculation once again that he may reshuffle and expand his ministry on Friday or Saturday before travelling to China for the BRICS summit from Monday.

The BJP sources, however, said the expansion may now take place only after September 19 as no good work is done during the Pitru Paksha that starts on September 5 and continues till September 19.

This will be the third and possibly last ministry reshuffle before the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. It will coincide with a reshuffle in the party to make it fit for the elections.

Pitru Paksha is the period when the Hindus offer Shraddha to remember their ancestors and pray for the departed souls to rest in peace. If Modi wants to expand the ministry before its start, the only scope is on Saturday, the sources said.

The Prime Minister’s birthday falls on September 17 and he may like to make changes in his ministry only after that date, they said, pointing out that nobody in the party knows about it except for Modi and BJP President Amit Shah who regularly meet and discuss the impending changes in the government and the party.

There are indications that Modi may axe Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Giriraj Singh, who are from Bihar, to accommodate the JDU (U) MPs in his ministry from the state. Names doing the rounds include former union home secretary and Bihar MP R K Singh to take advantage of his bureaucratic experience.