Cabinet expansion buzz as key leaders arrive in Capital

New Delhi: The elevation of union Minister for social Justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot to a gubernatorial position on Tuesday lent credence to the speculation that an expansion of the union council of ministers is on the cards

New Delhi: The elevation of union Minister for social Justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot to a gubernatorial position on Tuesday lent credence to the speculation that an expansion of the union council of ministers is on the cards. As did a clutch of leaders flying into Delhi. HT learns that an official announcement could come as early as Wednesday morning and the oath-taking ceremony be held in the evening.

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For several weeks there has been a buzz about a possible reshuffle in the council and the inclusion of more members from the Bharatiya Janata Party as well as from its allies such as the Lok Janshakti Party, Janata Dal (United), and Apna Dal. The expansion is expected to bring in fresh faces that will help the BJP address the criticism it faced for the systemic deficiencies that were exposed during the second wave of the corona pandemic, prepare for the upcoming set of assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha battle, and address the charge that it is not good with allies.

There is also speculation that the party will include more faces from the poll bound states, particularly Uttar Pradesh where caste equations are still important determinants of electoral outcomes.

The much awaited expansion comes close on the heels of the completion of the Modi’s government’s seven years in office. Currently, there are 21 cabinet ministers, nine ministers with independent charge, and 23 ministers of state in the union council of ministers. According to people aware of the details since the council can have up to 81 ministers, at least a dozen inclusions are expected.

While the party and government functionaries remained tight lipped about the possible changes, the rush of people from outside Delhi to the National Capital led to conjectures about the possible candidates. Jyotiraditya Scindia flew in from Indore; former Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal also arrived in the city; as did JDU leaders RCP Singh and Lalan Singh; and former Congressman and Maharashtra chief Minister Narayan Rane .

Since the Council of ministers is expected to have more representation from states in the East, there is speculation that Santanu Thakur, an MP from West Bengal who represents the Mathua community and Nitish Pramanik also a member of Parliament who represents the Rajvanshi community are in reckoning.

The inclusion of allies is being seen as the BJP’s efforts to cements ties with its partners.

The LJP, which is in the middle of a family feud, is expected to make the cut. After the passing away of its chief Ram Vilas Paswan, the LJP is not represented in the council. Paswan’s son Chirag Paswan and his brother Pashupati Paras are locked in a bitter fight over the control of the party.

The Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena two of the oldest allies of the BJP broke ties with the party and pulled out their representatives from the council: while the Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant resigned in 2019, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal quit the government in 2020.

A BJP functionary requesting anonymity said those who are tipped to be in the council of ministers have already received phone calls from party president JP Nadda and party general secretary organisation BL Santhosh.

“Since 2014 the BJP has made a conscious decision to give younger people a chance so the likelihood of people in their 40s and 50s being inducted in the cabinet and the council of ministers is high. The party has already made a conscious decision of appointing people in their 50s as party functionaries such as state unit presidents, general secretaries etc,” said a party functionary.

Political commentator Abhay Deshpande said the new team is being built with an eye on the 2024 general elections. “After the outcome of the West Bengal assembly elections and the second wave of the corona pandemic there was a dent in the government’s image. They have been making an effort to undergo an image makeover and are trying to fix relations with their allies; so the council of ministers will have a place for new faces. They will have to consider regional aspirations as well as the political situation emerging in states such as Maharashtra while finalising the names.”