Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning to reshuffle his cabinet post 15 August. It is believed that no less than two ministers from UP are probably going to be removed/replaced after the reshuffle.There are 14 ministers in Union cabinet from UP, including Modi, who is an MP from Varanasi.
Induction of leaders in Amit Shah’s team:
- Highly placed sources told that more than the ministers performance, it is the compulsion
- to adjust leaders from the states going to the polls later this year that would cost their jobs.
- The reshuffle would simultaneously see induction of leaders in BJP national president Amit Shah’s team from various state units.
- As per sources some leaders from UP would get place in Shah’s team in view of the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
- Consequently, this would also set the tone for selection of the UP BJP chief.
- Post president and vice-president elections, the party now wants to take these key decisions after the end of parliament session on August 11.
- former defence minister Manohar Parrikar has taken over as the Goa chief minister.
Reshuffling of a few ministers:
- Finance minister Arun Jaitley is looking after defence.
- Similarly, housing and urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu has been elected as the vice-president.
- Earlier he was also looking after the information and broadcasting portfolio.
- Furthermore, Ramshanker Katheria -MP from Agra -was removed from the Modi cabinet
- and was replaced by another dalit leader from UP Krishna Raj.
- A decision after August 15 will give the party leadership enough opportunity to discuss
- the prospective candidates for the state BJP chief ‘s post.
- Similarly, chances are that leaders might also discuss the names to be included in Shah’s team.
- As per sources, it is improbable that any senior minister from UP would be dropped as the
- leadership won’t disturb the combination for in these two years prior next elections.
- “It is likely that at least one minister from west UP and one from east UP will exit Modi cabinet.
- They could be adjusted either in Shah’s team or in the UP organisation,“ says a party source.