Cabinet rejig: Modi to meet Amit Shah before decision on portfolios

The allocation of portfolios bears utmost importance with the state elections looming next year.

After the much-hyped cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday that saw 19 new ministers being inducted into his cabinet, reports indicate that the Prime Minister will hold consultations with BJP chief Amit Shah in the evening before allocation of portfolios.

The reshuffle was preceded by multiple meetings between the two leaders spanning 45 days, including a four-hour discussion last week.

The allocation of portfolios bears utmost importance with the state elections looming next year.

Modi expanded his Cabinet earlier in the day, bringing in 17 new faces and two old hands -- Vijay Goel and Faggan Kulaste -- while elevating Prakash Javdekar to the rank of a Cabinet minister.

Modi said this would strengthen his Cabinet's ability to deliver on promises made in this year's budget.

The Cabinet is now 80-member strong, up from 45 when Modi came to power two years ago.

The oath-taking ceremony which took place in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan, began with Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javdekar who was elevated to Cabinet rank. The new Ministers of State were sworn in after him.

Five ministers have already resigned to pave way for the new faces. They are Nihalchand, Ram Shankar Katheria, Sanwar Lal Jat, Manuskhbhai D Vasva and M K Kundariya.

The second expansion by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in little more than two years since he took over in May 2014 saw several Dalit and OBC leaders given ministerial positions. Political analysts say this was done with an eye on the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand next year and Gujarat later.

(This story originally appeared in the deccan Chronicle as may the case be)