Cabinet Reshuffle Likely, as Irani and Tomar Take On Extra Charges

The reshuffle is likely to take place between 12 and 15 of August.

Smriti Irani with M Venkaiah Naidu.

(Photo: The Quint)

A Cabinet reshuffle is likely on cards, now that Smriti Irani and Narendra Tomar have taken additional charge of BJP vice presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu’s portfolios. With Irani and Tomar’s takeover, the count of union ministers handling additional charges now stands at four.

Irani has been given the additional charge of Information and Broadcast ministry, while Tomar has been given additional charge of Ministry of Urban Development after Naidu resigned from his ministerial responsibilities.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is already holding the portfolio of the Defence Ministry after Manohar Parrikar resigned to become Goa Chief Minister. Union Science and Technology Minister Harshvardhan is holding additional charge of the Environment portfolio following the death of Anil Madhav Dave in May.

BJP sources told IANS the reshuffle could take place between 12 and 15 of August.

"There would be a reshuffle after the monsoon session, and it is likely to take place before Independence Day on 15 August," a BJP leader said.

The monsoon session of Parliament is slated to end on 11 August.

The talk of a reshuffle gained ground after Naidu was projected as the BJP’s vice presidential candidate, following which he stepped down as Union Minister on 17 July.

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In a meeting on 17 July, the BJP Parliamentary board picked Naidu as the ruling party’s candidate for the post of Vice President, a post he is almost certain to occupy. Naidu was holding two portfolios of Information and Broadcasting, and Housing and Urban Affairs.

Although Naidu was not required to resign technically, he has tendered his resignation to set high political standards as he has entered the electoral fray (for the vice presidential position).

Source to PTI

The last cabinet reshuffle took place in July last year in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted 19 new faces and elevated Minister of State for Environment Prakash Javadekar to cabinet rank. Five junior ministers were also dropped.

(With inputs from PTI, IANS)