Modi picks 58 'performers'

Wednesday 05th June 2019 05:24 EDT
 

Modi has handpicked people he trusts for his cabinet. They are the ones he believes can get the job done in his second tenure, particularly in areas he has identified as the thrust ones of his next five years. He has made it clear that the process of raising a new rung of leaders has kick-started in the right direction and he couldn't care less about reputations. Considering his top picks, it is extremely evident that “merit” and “fitness” have been applied as criteria. The PM is keen on delivering all 75 goals listed as “75 milestones” in the BJP manifesto. They are not mere guideposts, but a definite set of action plans that could shape the future of politics in the country. Those thinking he has picked his favourites to warm benches in the Parliament, may have to reconsider. Because this time, Modi means business and his team may be subject to a performance review.

The leader has chosen a leaner ministry than the outgoing one. The council of ministers, including the PM, consists of 58 members, down 18 per cent from the outgoing 71-member team, including the Prime Minister. He inducted 23 new faces in his council of ministers, seven of them making it to the Cabinet, as part of a major revamp after a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha polls. BJP president Amit Shah and former foreign secretary S Jaishankar were the two top big debutants in the 58-member Modi Cabinet, with Giriraj Singh and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat being elevated from junior ministers. Eight junior ministers were dropped and four who lost the Lok Sabha elections - Manoj Sinha, Anant Geete, Hansraj Ahir and Pon Radhakrishan - did not find a berth in the new ministry.

Amit Shah's massive promotion is no surprise. After all, he did an outstanding role as BJP president since 2014. While speculations hugely favoured Shah as the finance minister, Modi strategically handed him the Home Ministry. It now remains to see how soon will Shah push ahead on the BJP’s agenda of Article 370, Article 35A, Ram Temple, West Bengal, illegal migration and busting terrorist networks and beefing up policing in a modern way across the country. Boldness of the new “majboot sarkar” also reflected in its dealing with allies. The BJP refused to heed the demand of the JD(U) for more berths.

Last term's motormouths are visibly sidelined. Leaders like Anantkumar Hegde, Satyapal Singh and Maneka Gandhi have been left out of the ministry. Sources believe the PM has sent out a strong message by dropping the three. Hegde has had a controversial term. One of his many controversial statements was his 2017 remark, “A few people say the Constitution mentions the word secular, so you have to agree... but this will change... We are here and have come to change the Constitution.”

While deciding the Cabinet composition, Modi decided to keep regional and caste representation in mind, although West Bengal, where BJP put up its best ever show, did not find adequate representation. Uttar Pradesh, which sent the highest the number of MPs (64) from the ruling alliance, has received the biggest representation in Modi's team. Nine of the 58 ministers are from UP, including PM who represents Varanasi. Then there are eight from Maharashtra and five from Bihar. Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala are bigger states that did not receive any ministerial berth. However, it is worth mentioning that V Muraleedharan, who represents Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha, is a Kerala BJP chief. North-eastern states that could not get ministerial representation are Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Meghalaya. Karnataka has four ministers while Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat have three each. Punjab, Jharkhand and West Bengal get two each.

India calls upon its immediate neighbourhood

Last week, Modi and his new cabinet took oath for the second time at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Leaders of BIMSTEC countries, including President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena, Nepal prime minister KP Sharma Oli, President of Myanmar U Win Myint and Bhutanese prime minister Lotay Tshering also attended the gala event. From Thailand, its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach represented the country. Besides India, BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan as members. Kyrgyz president and current chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation chief Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and Mauritius prime minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth were present too.

Modi will make his first neighbourhood visit to Maldives and Sri Lanka next week. Maldives is special, as Modi had not visited it in his first term. The visit sends several messages. Not only will it be his first visit to a Muslim country in south Asia, it will also signal India’s renewed attention to the Indian Ocean region. Given that China was the dominant power in Maldives until November 2018, the visit’s message will be read loud and clear in Beijing.

Modi also found fresh support in the UAE. The Adnoc Tower in Abu Dhabi was lit up in the colours of the Indian and UAE flags, while huge portraits of Modi and Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan lit up the buildings.


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