With the second wave of Covid19 pandemic on the wane. Prime Minister Modi feels it is time to take national interests forward even though the possibility of a third wave is staring at the nation. The reshuffling of governors and some new appointments are seen as a prelude to a bigger step forward by the Modi-led dispensation – namely the long-awaited cabinet expansion. Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot has been shifted to the post of Karnataka governor while the Prime Minister continued his discussions with top BJP leadership to finalize the names of new ministers. The cabinet expansion should take place well before the start of the Monsoon session of Parliament from July 19 so that the new ministers will have time to get acquainted with their ministries should questions be raised.
The Modi government has drawn flak for its failure to catch up with the Covid situation when the previously predicted second wave came calling. This ran parallel with perceptions that the central government has been paralysed by a sense of complacency after the arrival of the Covid19 pandemic. As is well-known, some 30 departments ran without heads for the past two years in the absence of a cabinet expansion. The drift was all too clear, evident also from the way Pakistan came back calling on Jammu with a drone attack in the guise of terrorism. Now, the Modi government is scurrying around to acquire a set of anti-drone laser-guided equipment that could be assembled within the country. The nation’s stock would have gone up had it been well-prepared before the first drone attack took place.
While a reshuffle of governors has been executed, the Centre did not warm up to a call from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for recall of Governor Jagdeep Dhankar. This would mean the Modi government would continue with its game of causing friction in West Bengal and the BJP would continue with its Mamata-baiting. All eyes are now on the cabinet reshuffle as those with whom the Prime Minister is interacting on this matter are all characteristically tight-lipped while no word comes out of the horse’s own mouth. That has been the style of the PM. On the performance front, the present cabinet as a whole has not risen to people’s expectations. While those like Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari are stalwarts, the same might not be true of several others of the Modi team. What new energy and drive the reshuffle can bring about is worth a wait and watch.
