Modi’s Poll Designs Behind Smriti Irani’s Textile Exile

Is Smriti Irani’s transfer to Textiles Ministry really a “demotion” or something covert and politically rooted?

Former HRD Minister Smriti Irani has now been moved to the Textiles Ministry. (Photo: altered by The Quint)

The Telegraph called her a Spindrella, Twitterati went into an overdrive to count her sins and judge if the demotion as punishment was commensurate with her crimes.

No punishment, only a clever move

But what may seem like an exercise in clipping wings (being sent from the powerful HRD ministry to the low-profile Textiles) could also be a cover for a covert plan.

Clearly, the Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday wasn’t just a political imperative, it was one of governance as well. Irani has been allotted Textiles, for which the Cabinet cleared a Rs 6,000-crore package just a fortnight ago. This shows how much the Prime Minister values this industry. His own constituency (Varanasi) is a hub of weavers, majority of them poor Muslims.

UP polls, Varanasi weavers and North East on radar

Therefore moving Irani from textbooks to textiles may well not be a demotion ahead of the high-stake UP election. Modi seems to be moving to a plan that is high on the campaign agenda being built around the development narrative.

Watch this video to learn the dynamics and economics of Irani’s parachuting into this industry.

Video Editor: Sashant Kumar