CABINET SHAKE-UP BUZZ AMID A FLURRY OF ACTIVITIES
Prime Minister Modi and UP CM Adityanath are likely to reshuffle their teams.
The Uttar Pradesh elections will be in focus whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reshuffle their team of ministers. But the question is when the much-awaited cabinet shake-up will take place.
According to sources, two strategies are being discussed for cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle. One, the cabinet reshuffle should be carried out in this month itself, and expansion at the Central level should also be done soon thereafter. Two, the cabinet reshuffle at the central level should be done a week before the Parliament’s Monsoon session. However, PM Modi has to take a final call on this.
Sources say that ministerial reshuffle is being delayed not without a reason. In fact, the government, in the first place, wants the vaccination drive beginning from 21 June to gain momentum nationwide. Both the BJP and the party ruled states will be carrying out the vaccination drive extensively so that the mission could reach a satisfactory level before the Monsoon session. Strategists believe this will help build up PM Modi’s image to the extent of the Opposition falling flat. With this in view, the government may go for the Monsoon session in July last week, as the vaccination drive will have completed the first month by then, and there will be a positive atmosphere building up for the government.
The cabinet reshuffle may be done then only. Moreover, the Modi government will be ready to silence the Opposition which is attacking the dispensation over “weak vaccination” policy. Sources say that by that time, the government will be able to find some solution to end the farmers’ agitation.
Both the BJP and the RSS are quite cautious following the Bengal defeat. Efforts are afoot to ensure that the BJP repeats performance of 2017 in UP Assembly elections in 2022. Several meetings between PM Modi and Sangh leaders have discussed strategy in several meetings held in the past fortnight. In the meeting with Yogi, the focus was also on the mission UP. Broadly, it has been decided that PM Modi and CM Yogi will be the main faces for UP polls. Ram Mandir, abrogation of Article 370 and Hindutva will be some of the major issues that the BJP will go to polls with. Corona vaccination will also be a key issue. The strategy to woo voters on the basis of caste equations is also being fine-tuned. Sources claim that the upper caste voters will not go away from BJP. This includes Brahmin, Thakur and Baniya voters. If polarization happens then a big section of Jats may back BJP, claim sources. In fact, the upper castes are said to be uncomfortable with
Samajwadi Party due to apprehension about law and order under its rule. As of now, the SP and the BJP are understood to be in direct fight in UP. Hence, the BJP in a bid to steal a march on SP, is engaged in social engineering eyeing the Dalit and Backward caste voters. The Muslim community is also under consideration. Therefore, all the changes in UP will be made keeping in view this social engineering. Issues that disgruntled leaders are raising will be addressed.
The farmers’ agitation is also on top priority. The government wants to open dialogue with the agitating farmers. BJP strategists are keeping a close watch over developments such as the meeting between Rakesh Tikait and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Strategists and believe that the BJP will benefit from the multi-corner contest in UP.
PM Modi will also have completed the exercise of reviewing the performance of his ministers by the time reshuffle is done. Discussions are yet to be held on the faces to be accommodated in the team Modi from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal and Maharashtra. Jagan’s party YSRCP from Andhra may join NDA. Coalition partners from Bihar may also be given ministerial berths. Discussion on how to prevent BJP’S split in Bengal is also underway. In view of this, a couple of Bengal leaders may be brought in the cabinet.
In view of political developments in Maharashtra, some state leaders may be accommodated in the cabinet. There are some indications of Shiv Sena contemplating to return to NDA. This is also another reason why Cabinet expansion is expected around 20 July. The monsoon session may start from 25 July, which will give new ministers around a week’s time to prepare their answers to be delivered in Parliament.