December 19, 2025 01:29 am (IST)
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Modi likely to rejig cabinet on Sunday
New Delhi, Nov 6 (IBNS): Deviating from the policy of "Minimum Government, Maximum Governance", Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government is gearing up for its first cabinet expansion, media reported.
PM Modi is expected to free Arun Jaitley - who has charge of two critical portfolios Finance and Defence - from the dual charge by appointing a new Defence Minister.
According to information received, the oath ceremony for new ministers to be inducted into Modi's cabinet will take place on Sunday. Though there is no official communication from the government or the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) either, NDA's ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has reportedly told media that cabinet expansion will take place in two days.
Media reports claimed that official intimation about the Union Cabinet's first expansion and the oath ceremony for that is likely by Saturday. Modi met President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Thursday during the occasion of "Gurbani", Sikh prayers, to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
Modi and Pranab reportedly discussed the issue of cabinet expansion during the meeting also attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari.
Modi took oath in May this year with a slim team of 45 ministers. There are altogether 22 cabinet members and another 22 ministers of state (MoS), including 10 with independent charge, in the Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Front (NDA) government. A senior cabinet minister, Gopinath Munde, died in a road accident in June this year.
If media reports are to be believed, the main attraction of the cabinet rejig will be induction of new Defence Minister. Till now, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been given the dual responsibilty of Defence ministry. But Modi, has been learnt, decided to take off some of the burden from Jaitley, by appointing a full time Defence Minister.
The reason behind Modi's decision was that PM wants Jaitley to devote fully in his primary portfolio -- Finance, so that he can focus on the massive task of prepping the Budget, to presented next February. Apart from that, Jaitley might get an new junior minister to assist him. Earlier, Jaitley has reportedly told Modi to ease his task by taking away the defence portfolio, so that he can devote himself to reboot the economy.
Speculations are that, Manohar Parrikar, 58, the Chief Minister of Goa, is among the front-runner for the Defence portfolio. Parrikar spent a day in Delhi on Wednesday meeting PM Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and others but has been non-commital on the matter of a likely shift to Dehi.
“I came here to discuss Goa issues…He (Modi) did not say anything about that (becoming a union minister)...You should ask him,” Parrikar reportedly said after meeting PM. On Thursay, Goa Chief Minister met Goa BJP MLAs which re-ignited the speculation, that he may be heading to Delhi.
Not only Jaitley, the cabinet reshuffle might see some other senior Ministers like Nitin Gadkari's work pressure being eased. Nitin Gadkari handles Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Modi might redistribute some of his portfolios. It has been learnt that Modi is not happy with Gadkari's overall performance. So it may seem that, Gadkari may be relieved of some of his charges. Some ministers could reportedly even get the axe on account of poor performance.
Media reported that, Sources said there could be some promotions. Among the names being mentioned is that of Commerce Minister Nirmala Sithraman, who is a Minister of State in two ministries.
On the other hand, HRD Minister Smriti Irani might face axe. BJP's ideological parent Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is unhappy with actor-turned politician Smriti, who ran into controversy owing to her educational qualification.
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