The much-awaited reshuffle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet could take place soon, BJP president Amit Shah hinted on Friday without sharing any details.
On being asked when the vacancy caused by the resignation of Sarbananda Sonowal, who has taken over as Assam Chief Minister, will be filled, Shah said, “We will do it. A date has not been decided yet.”
When asked whether the need for using expertise of leaders for electoral work will also taken into consideration during the Cabinet rejig, Shah said, “Whenever there will be a reshuffle, political situation will be one of the dimensions of selection.”
It is widely expected that the along with the Cabinet reshuffle, the BJP will also undergo a organisational revamp with Shah changing his team of office bearers.
Addressing a Press conference to list the achievements of the Modi Government on completing two years in office, Shah credited the Government with successfully rescuing the country from “the policy paralysis” of ten years of UPA rule. He asserted that in the last two years, the BJP has delivered a Government “that decides, makes policy and takes steps” to provide solutions to the problems faced by the country.
“There are still three years to go and we will fulfil all promises... there is enough time. Our moral is high and with hard work we will succeed in 2019”, said the BJP chief.
Asked whether his Government expect support of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, he said his party was requesting all the parties. “It is for her to decide”, he added. On Uttar Pradesh poll, Shah said his party will win a clear majority there but skirted question on Ram temple. As who would be ‘Ram’ (CM face for the BJP) in UP, BJP president said” people will decide...”.
He said the Government headed by Narendra Modi has brought India on track of development after its progress was derailed by two successive UPA Governments. He said the Modi-dispensation has ended several contradictions besetting the regimes during the Congress time. For example, he said, there is no confusion in the current government as who would run the country — bureaucrats or politicians.
Shah listed out all the Central schemes and their ‘achievements’ towards well being of poor, farmers, unemployed, women and children. He said in 2015 country has recorded largest production of urea, coal, power and registered highest export in software goods. In the same year, he said country recorded highest use of ethanol mixed petrol. The BJP chief said not only employment but self-employment was given a major push during last two years with as many as five crore self-employment jobs created .
The top BJP leader said in last 24 months the Modi-Government has always been responsive to the issues and cited example of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) where Government has issued an ordinance to resolve the confusion over the admission process to medical seats in various institutions in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Asked whether he sees a contraction between ‘vikas’ and about 33 crore people not having drinking water in several States of the country, Shah accepted that was an issue and went on to say that rains could mitigate the situation. The party chief did not give a response when quizzed whether a special session of Parliament could be called to address the problem.
Politically, he said BJP progressed by leaps and bounds by installing, for the first time, its Governments in five States.