What affected his report card? Babus, RSS script Harsh Vardhan's shifting from Health ministry

NEW DELHI: Harsh Vardhan had no inkling that he was being shifted from the health ministry even on Sunday night, though he had met party president Amit Shah a few hours ahead of the formal announcement of portfolios, according to his political aides and friends. “To remove him from a portfolio that is his forte means that the PM was unhappy with him. Why would you embarrass someone like this before sending him back to state politics?” said a BJP leader in Delhi considered close to Harsh Vardhan.

His ‘slow delivery’ on the Modi’s key promise of National Health Assurance — affordable preventive checkups, free drugs and insurance for all — diagnostic checkups was a big factor.

Even though an expert panel appointed by Vardhan for drafting the broad contours of the National Health Assurance had submitted its report on September 15, his ministry did not make any progress in finalising the proposal.

His aides say Vardhan was let down by the bureaucracy. RSS wasn’t too happy with him either as they felt they lost communication with him after he was appointed as minister. “The lack of access rubbed RSS the wrong way,” a BJP state leader said.