​Cabinet reshuffle: Nine new ministers to take oath today

NEW DELHI: As part of the biggest Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to induct nine new ministers while more than half-a-dozen ministers are expected to make way for new faces.

The new faces in the Cabinet include Shiv Pratap Shukla from Uttar Pradesh, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and RK Singh from Bihar, Virendra Kumar from Madhya Pradesh and Anantkumar Hegde from Karnataka. The prime minister has also included former IFS officer Hardeep Singh Puri, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from Rajasthan, ex-Mumbai Police chief Satya Pal Singh and Alphons Kannanthanam (Kerala).

The motto of the Cabinet reshuffle is reportedly Power of 4P: Passion + Proficency + Political Acumen for Progress. The swearing-in ceremony has been fixed for 10.30 am at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, a slight change from 10 am that was originally planned. Modi held discussions with BJP chief Amit Shah late on Saturday evening to give finishing touches to the exercise.

Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari also met Modi. He refused to comment on speculation that he was being shifted to railways, saying it was the prime minister’s prerogative to induct and drop ministers. Though there has been no official word on the changes that are likely, there is speculation that the prime minister could appoint a defence minister since the portfolio has been with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as additional charge.

Three ministers — Rajiv Pratap Rudy (skill development), Kalraj Mishra (micro, small, medium enterprises) and Sanjeev Balyan (water resources) — have already resigned and about a half-a-dozen are believed to have offered to resign. AIADMK leader Thambidurai, who met Shah on Friday, might be a likely representative from the party along with P Venugopal and V Maitreyan if the party decides to join the government.

Some reshuffle of the portfolios are likely with ministers, including Narendra Singh Tomar and Smriti Irani, holding additional charges. Tomar, who is rural development minister, holds additional charge of urban development while textiles minister Irani holds additional charge of information and broadcasting. Modi has expanded his council of ministers twice — first on November 9, 2014 and then on July 5, 2016.