Modi leaves a few ministers with multiple portfolios for next reshuffle

Despite Sunday's cabinet reshuffle, a few ministers continue to hold multiple portfolios which mean that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has kept a window open to accommodate NDA allies in near future.

Dr Harsh Vardhan, who was minister for Science and Technology and Earth Science, was given additional charge of Environment ministry after the demise of Anil Madhav Dave.
Contrary to expectations, Modi did not hand over environment ministry to any other leader in the rejig which leaves scope of sharing this important portfolio to NDA allies like the JDU or the AIADMK, in case the Tamil Nadu ruling party joins hands with the BJP-led coalition, said government sources.

Similarly, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's office Jitender Singh continues to hold five portfolios including DONEAR ministry he got in the last July's cabinet rejig. And there are other cabinet and junior ministers whose burden was not reduced in the council of ministers' remaking exercise.

Modi inducted nine faces and elevated four ministers to reinforce his team for the last mile delivery ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. But, all were from the BJP.

The JDU, which snapped ties with opposition and returned to the BJP to remain in power in Bihar, has taken in its own stride the opportunity lost to board the bus to Raisina Hill. After chief minister Nitish Kumar-led JDU had official joined the NDA, the regional leaders were hoping of getting a cabinet and an MoS slots at the centre. But, that did not happen giving handle to opposition like rival RJD to take pot shots at Nitish Kumar.

Unlike JDU, Shiv Sena, a perpetual in-house critique, could not hold back its tongue. Asked to to comment on the cabinet reshuffle, Sena MP Sanjay Raut said in Mumbai that the NDA is "almost dead" and accused the BJP of being an opportunist and running to partners only when they need their support. Sena's Anant Geete is union minister for Heavy Industries but the Maharatra coalition partner has for long been waiting to fill another berth, that of an MoS, after its leader Udhav Thackeray asked Anil Desai not to join the central government even after his name was cleared to take oath in the second cabinet reshufle of November 2014.

As per BJP-NDA ally arrangement on government formation, TDP leaders said it too can avail a junior minister berth at the centre. The refurbishing move has political pointers too for future strategy of Modi and BJP president Amit Shah duo. The party has given importance to Hindi belt -- especially Uttar Pradesh and Bihar -- and South which it is banking on heavily to sustain its performance even in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Modi has made two ministers each from UP (Satpal Singh and Shiv Pratap Shukla) and Bihar (RK Singh and Ashwini Kumar Choubey). Barring Satpal Singh, who is a Jat and replaces his community leader Sanjeev Baliyan from western UP, others are from upper castes of Rajputs and Brahmins which is seen as an attempt to balance out pro-backward classes politics the BJP had successfully exploited in the UP.

But, lack of talent in the party especially in West Bengal and Odisha -- the other catchment areas – appear to be the reason for not finding any mention in the Sunday's reshuffle.