The latest Modi cabinet gossip you need to know
May 22, 2014
Delhi: There is just one person who knows what Narendra Modi’s cabinet will look like, and that is Narendra Modi himself. But that has not stopped the rumor mills within the party. Here are snippets of the buzz going around in BJP corridors, though everyone admits that Mr Modi could still surprise everyone.
Some new rules have already been set: the age limit on cabinet ministers has been capped at 75, while older leaders will likely be accommodated as governors later. In keeping with the mantra of minimum government, the cabinet may well be leaner, and over a period of time some ministries may be merged.
Rajnath Singh: The party chief is likely to get the most high profile Home Ministry. Though he might not get the whole pie as Mr Modi is said to be keen on keeping the office of internal security with him.
LK Advani: The patriarch is likely to be accommodated as Lok Sabha Speaker. Some senior party leaders and the RSS have some reservations, but the final call has been left to Mr Modi. If Mr. Advani is not made the speaker, the post is likely to go to Kariya Munda, an MP from Jharkhand who was Deputy Speaker in the earlier Lok Sabha.
Arun Shourie: Tipped to get the all-important Finance Ministry, with his task cut out to turn the economy around. Mr Shourie has been a Rajya Sabha member and was minister in the Vajpayee cabinet looking after the ministries of Disinvestment, Communication and Information Technology.
Arun Jaitley: Though he lost to Captain Amarinder Singh from Amritsar, the suave face of the BJP is being talked about as the next Foreign Minister. The RSS is believed to have given the go-ahead for him, in spite of the poll defeat. He was Minister for Commerce and Industry, Law and Justice in the Vajpayee cabinet.
Nitin Gadkari: Former party chief Nitin Gadkari is likely to get the Ministry of Urban Development. He is known for the efficient execution of projects like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway during his tenure as the PWD minister of Maharashtra, apart from being close to the RSS.
Murli Manohar Joshi: He may be the next Defence Minister, though there are many within the Modi camp who are not keen on the idea. Mr Joshi had vacated the Varanasi seat for Mr Modi, and this could well be payback time. If not the Defence Ministry, Mr Joshi could well be the next party president, with Rajnath Singh moving into North Block. The RSS is happy with either decision, and Mr Joshi remains their favorite particularly because of his saffronisation spree in the HRD Ministry last time he was in power.
Sushma Swaraj: From the anti-Modi camp in the party, it will be Sushma Swaraj who is likely to get the best deal. She might get HRD or the Health Ministry. Members of the Modi camp have met her several times and tried to keep her humored.
Dr Harshvardhan: One of the key people behind polio eradication in Delhi, he is also being talked about as the next Health Minister.
Amit Shah: Mr Modi’s controversial Man Friday can either be part of the PMO, or be elevated to party chief. What could stand in the way of the former is that his name has not been cleared in the Sohrabuddin encounter case. And what stands in the way of the latter is that not everyone is comfortable with the party chief and prime minister coming from Gujarat.
Piyush Goyal: He had a big hand in coming up with BJP’s manifesto, and is also tipped to make it to the cabinet. A chartered accountant and management consultant, he may get to be junior minister in Finance or a tech-related ministry like Communications or I&B.
Smriti Irani: Though she lost to Rahul Gandhi from Amethi, but she might be awarded for putting up a very good fight against the Gandhi scion in his bastion.
Also on the watch-list:
Anurag Singh Thakur Gopinath Munde M Venkaiah Naidu
Sumitra Mahajan Babul Supriyo Juel Uraon
Shatrughan Sinha Rajiv Pratap Rudy SS Ahluwalia
Satyapal Singh Gen (Retd.) VK Singh Former HS RK Singh
May 22, 2014
Delhi: There is just one person who knows what Narendra Modi’s cabinet will look like, and that is Narendra Modi himself. But that has not stopped the rumor mills within the party. Here are snippets of the buzz going around in BJP corridors, though everyone admits that Mr Modi could still surprise everyone.
Rajnath Singh: The party chief is likely to get the most high profile Home Ministry. Though he might not get the whole pie as Mr Modi is said to be keen on keeping the office of internal security with him.
LK Advani: The patriarch is likely to be accommodated as Lok Sabha Speaker. Some senior party leaders and the RSS have some reservations, but the final call has been left to Mr Modi. If Mr. Advani is not made the speaker, the post is likely to go to Kariya Munda, an MP from Jharkhand who was Deputy Speaker in the earlier Lok Sabha.
Arun Shourie: Tipped to get the all-important Finance Ministry, with his task cut out to turn the economy around. Mr Shourie has been a Rajya Sabha member and was minister in the Vajpayee cabinet looking after the ministries of Disinvestment, Communication and Information Technology.
Arun Jaitley: Though he lost to Captain Amarinder Singh from Amritsar, the suave face of the BJP is being talked about as the next Foreign Minister. The RSS is believed to have given the go-ahead for him, in spite of the poll defeat. He was Minister for Commerce and Industry, Law and Justice in the Vajpayee cabinet.
Nitin Gadkari: Former party chief Nitin Gadkari is likely to get the Ministry of Urban Development. He is known for the efficient execution of projects like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway during his tenure as the PWD minister of Maharashtra, apart from being close to the RSS.
Murli Manohar Joshi: He may be the next Defence Minister, though there are many within the Modi camp who are not keen on the idea. Mr Joshi had vacated the Varanasi seat for Mr Modi, and this could well be payback time. If not the Defence Ministry, Mr Joshi could well be the next party president, with Rajnath Singh moving into North Block. The RSS is happy with either decision, and Mr Joshi remains their favorite particularly because of his saffronisation spree in the HRD Ministry last time he was in power.
Sushma Swaraj: From the anti-Modi camp in the party, it will be Sushma Swaraj who is likely to get the best deal. She might get HRD or the Health Ministry. Members of the Modi camp have met her several times and tried to keep her humored.
Dr Harshvardhan: One of the key people behind polio eradication in Delhi, he is also being talked about as the next Health Minister.
Amit Shah: Mr Modi’s controversial Man Friday can either be part of the PMO, or be elevated to party chief. What could stand in the way of the former is that his name has not been cleared in the Sohrabuddin encounter case. And what stands in the way of the latter is that not everyone is comfortable with the party chief and prime minister coming from Gujarat.
Piyush Goyal: He had a big hand in coming up with BJP’s manifesto, and is also tipped to make it to the cabinet. A chartered accountant and management consultant, he may get to be junior minister in Finance or a tech-related ministry like Communications or I&B.
Smriti Irani: Though she lost to Rahul Gandhi from Amethi, but she might be awarded for putting up a very good fight against the Gandhi scion in his bastion.
Also on the watch-list:
Anurag Singh Thakur Gopinath Munde M Venkaiah Naidu
Sumitra Mahajan Babul Supriyo Juel Uraon
Shatrughan Sinha Rajiv Pratap Rudy SS Ahluwalia
Satyapal Singh Gen (Retd.) VK Singh Former HS RK Singh
-
This story was first published in www.thepoliticalindian.com on May 22, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment