New Delhi: The long-pending reshuffle of the Union Cabinet may take place towards the end of the year or in January 2016, just before the Union Budget, as sources in the government said the BJP-led NDA would like to factor in the political situation once the Bihar Assembly poll results are out on November 8.
The sources said while the four top Cabinet berths — finance, external affairs, defence and home — wouldn’t be touched, ministers holding charge of more than one ministry may be relieved of their multiple responsibilities and asked to focus on their core ministry, while there is also the possibility that allies like the TDP and Shiv Sena may get more Cabinet berths.
With the Bihar Assembly polls being treated as a prestige battle by the NDA government, there are strong signals that once the results are out, the Union Cabinet reshuffle could take place by December or by early January, sources said.
The possibility of a Union Cabinet reshuffle this time looks stronger as the Bihar results are expected to have a strong impact on the NDA government’s policy direction as well as its relationship with the RSS.
Also, the Modi government will complete 18 months in office next month in October, which observers feel gives the Prime Minister’s Office ample scope to evaluate the performance of ministers.
