There was much speculation about Assam BJP’s strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma joining the reconstituted Modi cabinet but Sarma himself clarified that his services are needed in the state. BIswa Sarma is heading the North East Development Agency (NEDA) a forum aimed at pushing the BJP mandate into the seven states of the North East. Manipur and Assam are already BJP-ruled states. Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura are going to the polls next year and Biswa Sarma has a huge task at hand. Should he be able to deliver these states to the BJP, his future in the Party is well scripted. Meanwhile speculations were also doing the rounds that Conrad Sangma of the National Peoples’ Party (NPP), and Neiphiu Rio of the Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) both affiliates of the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre might be inducted but Modi has other plans.
The Modi Government is looking at delivery and will become heavily reliant on ministers who can deliver. That Rajiv Pratap Rudy the minister in charge of Skills Development was dropped suggests that the Department which was meant to create a buzz had failed to do so in the last three years. This is a critical ministry dealing with skilling youth for entrepreneurship but gauging from the outcomes something is missing. The fact that former bureaucrats and former police officers are now inducted into the Ministry means that Modi is looking at experienced hands as opposed to those with no administrative experience. Hardeep Singh Puri a former Ambassador at the United Nations – a man with vast experience as a diplomat has been brought in, possibly for a better understanding of international affairs, in the light of India’s growing clout in the comity of nations.
Amongst the much speculated portfolios was Defence held by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. This has now gone to former Commerce Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman even while Suresh Prabhu will now head the Commerce Ministry. One minister in the NDA who is known for his hard work and dedication is Piyush Goyal who held the Power Ministry. He will now look after the Railways ministry which has been under the scanner for the many rail accidents that have come in quick succession. The Power Ministry has how gone to Raj Kumar Singh. Modi ‘s signal to his team is “Perform or Perish. He is taking no chances for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.