Finally the much-awaited cabinet reshuffle happened. While as many as 19 new faces found a place in Team Modi, only one minister from the existing set up was “promoted” to the cabinet rank. Probably, this was the first indication that only ‘doers’ will be rewarded here. However, the shocker came by the evening as portfolios were allotted or rather re-allotted.
Smriti Irani, one of the most high-profile ministers in the Modi cabinet, was shunted out of the HRD ministry which witnessed more than its fair share of controversies. Sacking of vice-chancellors, academicians quitting vital bodies, or rather being “forced” to quit, then the entire Rohith Vemula episode and the final nail in the coffin — the JUN controversy. The ministry managed to be in news for all wrong reasons.
While earlier Ms Irani appeared to have the backing of the prime minister, finally she had to face some semblance of action. too.
And it was not just Smriti Irani. The message the prime minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah tried to send out through the rejig was loud and clear: Perform or perish. Hence, as many as five heads rolled while a few others were divested of existing responsibilities.
The Ministry of Rural Development had also been a weak link. So by getting Mr Narendra Singh Tomar replace Choudhary Birendra Singh, the government has done a course correction. Similarly, Ravi Shankar Prasad was facing flak on the call drop issue. He was replaced by Mr Manoj Sinha as the telecom minister.
Agriculture Ministry too is a weak link. Though Radha Mohan Singh held on to the portfolio, he has now to share the space with S.S. Ahluwalia and Parsottam Bhai Rupala.
