NEW DELHI: With the reshuffle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet expected in the next few days, a strong buzz is going on in BJP circles that some Cabinet ministers may be assigned specific tasks within the organisational structure of the party to take on the Opposition in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. A senior party leader told this newspaper that the reshuffle might take place on Wednesday.
It is learnt that there will be no changes in the finance, external affairs and defence ministries. Sources said some leaders of allied parties like Praful Patel and Chirag Paswan may be inducted as ministers in the much-awaited reshuffle.
The possibility of the Cabinet reshuffle and the changes in the BJP’s organisational set-up are being viewed in some political circles as a BJP strategy to test the waters in the Assembly elections in several states before going for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
“As organisational restructuring has already started with the appointment of state presidents and members for the national executive committee, the Cabinet reshuffle might be effected on Wednesday,” a senior BJP leader told this newspaper.
BJP leaders claimed that the period before Parliament’s Monsoon Session, which begins from July 20, could be the last window for such an exercise.
Sources said some senior ministers having organisational experience may be assigned responsibilities in the party to further strengthen the organisation before next year’s Lok Sabha polls. “Shifting of ministers to the organisations has nothing to do with performance but it will be a strategic move with an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” they said.
It has been learnt that representatives of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), Patel of NCP (Ajit Pawar) and Chirag Paswan of the LJP (Ram Vilas) are likely to be inducted in the Union Cabinet.
A BJP functionary said that the Union Cabinet reshuffle will be done with an eye on regional aspirations and unburdening of ministers holding multiple portfolios.
“There are several ministers who are looking after more than one ministry… Their portfolio can be shared with alliance partners or fulfilling regional and social aspirations. The final date and composition of the Union council of ministers will be taken by the Prime Minister,” he added.
