NEW DELHI: A major reshuffle of the Union council of ministers, which will have a significant OBC imprint, is on the cards.
The exercise also aims to increase women representation, bring in state leaders with strong administrative experience, reduce the average age of the ministry and induct people with professional background.
The exercise, helmed by PM Modi who has held detailed consultations, looks to strike a balance within caste and regional categories.
The OBC selections are expected to ensure smaller communities are not left out with the tally of “backward” leaders expected to reach around 25 — from a little over a dozen at present.
Similarly, attention will be paid to sub-regional claims within bigger states like UP, Maharashtra, Gujarat or Karnataka.
Sources said the first expansion of Modi 2.0 has been scheduled for 6 pm on Wednesday, but the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday night was yet to receive an official communication from the Cabinet Secretariat.
The OBC presence seems set for a big jump, and the move to woo this politically influential and populous section seems intended to further consolidate the support it has offered BJP, helping it emerge as the premier political party in the country.
Indications also pointed to the possibility of an increase in representation of Brahmins from UP in the Modi ministry, with party circles speculating Ravikishan, Ajay Mishra ‘Teni’ and Harish Dwivedi as probables.
Arjun Meghwal, minister of state for parliamentary affairs, is seen as a possible replacement for Thaawarchand Gehlot in the social justice ministry.
The exercise is close to fruition, with the appointment of Gehlot as Governor of Karnataka, which created another vacancy, boosting the possibility of the first restructuring of the Modi-led NDA coalition.
The previous Modi dispensation saw two rounds of changes.
There may not be much chopping and changing as nine ministers are holding additional charges and the Council has 60 ministers against a maximum of 81.
The new look council will have former chief ministers with names like Sarbanand Sonowal and Narayan Rane doing the rounds.
The emphasis, said official sources, is on inducting state leaders with solid administrative experience.
This would be an important parameter with the council also reflecting a strong representation of ministers with grassroots background and those who have risen despite modest beginnings.
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This ministry will provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country.
“It will help deepen co-operativesPost reshuffle, the ministry is expected to have more people with professional background such as medicine, engineering, law, management and post-graduates.
As might be expected, an eye will be kept to make sure that the representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is adequate.
Many of the new entrants would be in the 40-60 age bracket.
The pending exercise follows several ministerial exits and there are enough vacant berths to accommodate leaders who are to be inducted.
The party leadership has already reached out to leaders to reach the capital.
Some of the likely inclusions are Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narayan Rane.
Among allies, leader of breakaway LJP Pashupati Paras, Apna Dal’s Anupriya Patel, JD(U) president R C P Singh are in Delhi.
The name of former Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis is also being discussed, but his performance as opposition leader against the Shiv Sena-led government has been impressive and there is no easy replacement.
Pritam Munde and Heena Gavit were mentioned as possible inclusions from Maharashtra.
Former Bihar deputy CM Sushil Modi, who has already made a mark in the Rajya Sabha, is a likely inductee.
The appointment of Himanta Biswa Sarma as Assam CM had meant Sonowal’s return to the Union cabinet.
At present, only Ramdas Athawale of RPI represents a BJP ally in the Council.
Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harsimrat Kaur Badal pulled out due to the change in Maharashtra and farm laws respectively.
LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan passed away.
JD(U), which earlier turned down a solitary cabinet berth in 2019, may see senior leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ and Santosh Kushwaha being considered apart from RCP Singh.
Party sources also cite the need to reassure communities like Brahmins in Uttar Pradesh and Matuas and Rajbonshis in West Bengal in the expansion.
As many as nine Cabinet ministers have “additional” responsibilities.
They are Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Nitin Gadkari, Harsh Vardhan, Narendra Singh Tomar, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani and Hardeep Puri.
PM arranged to expand the Union cabinet, OBC might get a bed
