Allies are talking about NDA fissures. But Cabinet rejig is about increasing BJP’s footprint
The fact that all the nine new Cabinet Ministers and four promotions to Cabinet rank are from the BJP, at the expense of expectant and, thus, miffed allies like the Janata Dal (United) and the Shiv Sena, may point to a strong imprint of the Modi-Shah agenda to expand party influence, but it comes pregnant with fissure possibilities in the ruling NDA. This may not be conducive for the 2019 moorings but it is also true that much water will flow through the Kosi in Bihar and the Mumbai sea in the intervening years, giving the Prime Minister enough time and opportunity to assuage both the allies to get their helping hand in the general election. Also, talk has it that there is another mini reshuffle waiting to happen anytime after Prime Minister Modi returns from the Brics summit in China. Till then, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar himself has been circumspect about the “disappointment” even though a genetically aggressive Shiv Sena has gone on a “NDA is long dead” chant. The BJP has lived happily with the love-hate relationship with its Maharashtra ally, getting to the brink and back with intense spats at the State level. So, this is hardly likely to raise its hackles. On a bigger note, however, it is also true that the reshuffle has brazenly included two Ministers from Bihar, not from JD (U). That will be considered a bigger snub by Nitish Kumar than the fact that he was not consulted or even informed about what was in the bag. This despite the fact that he had joined the NDA as a prized catch just two weeks ago, as the Chief Minister of a State where the BJP failed to bag power in the recent elections. The choice of Buxar BJP MP Ashwini Choubey, a known Nitish Kumar critic, and RK Singh from Ara as Union Ministers looks upsetting, especially when the BJP establishment ignored the fact that Singh was the man who arrested lK Advani and derailed the Ram Rath Yatra at Samastipur in 1990.
The BJP is in power in 18 States in the country. With the latest reshuffle, Modi has shown in no uncertain terms that his priority is to expand the saffron footprint even though perceived to be at the expense of regional parties. A pointer to this is the inclusion of a Minister each from poll-bound Karnataka, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Marginalising regional parties within the combine has been a charge of the Shiv Sena. Not just the JD(U) and the Shiv Sena but also the relatively passive Akali Dal is displeased about being ignored even about being informed about impending changes in the Cabinet set-up. Most perceive this as an insignia of Modi’s arrogance and linear focus on preparing a blueprint for the 2019 lok Sabha election. Modi is too clever by half to be entirely arrogant and his moves are governed by futuristics more than personal aggrandisement. More true would be the speculation that the deal with the JD(U) fell through because it would have been untenable for the BJP to give two Cabinet ranks to Nitish Kumar when the Shiv Sena has more MPs in comparison to Nitish Kumar’s party.