Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who completes three years in office in December, is likely to reshuffle her Council of Ministers next month after Diwali. Speculation has been rife about the Cabinet reshuffle after Ms Raje’s meeting with BJP national president Amit Shah two weeks ago, followed by hectic parleys between her, state party president Ashok Parnami and BJP’s national joint secretary and Rajasthan in-charge V. Satish last week.
It remains to be seen whether Ms Raje is given a free hand in the selection process. Ms Raje may still be a popular leader in the state, but she’s not on as strong a wicket as she used to be in her first tenure when she had the blessings of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani.
Mr Parnami on Friday said that the reshuffle in the government and party organisaton is on the cards. “The CM has made up her mind,” he said but refused to divulge detail about the timing, saying that it was her prerogative. “It is up to her. She has to take the call about it,” he added.
For the CM, gone are the days when she could get away by refusing to own responsibility for the party’s defeat, like she did in 2008 Assembly elections. Before Mr Shah took over as party chief, Ms Raje got away by refusing to resign as the leader of Opposition.
She had also forced the party to go back on its principal of “one man, one post” by holding the posts of both leader of Opposition and state president months before the Assembly election in 2013.
“Things have changed under Modiji. The party is not dependent on regional satraps for votes anymore. Modi is the face. Regional leaders have to take central leadership into confidence for any major policy decision,” said a party leader.
In fact, long discussions with Mr Satish, who has been acting as the point man of both BJP and the RSS, suggests perceptional change in her working style.
Accepting the reality of changed political dynamics reflects in her working style — she appears to be more respectful of the central leadership. Ms Raje may still assert her will but is likely to accommodate recommendations of the Sangh and Mr Shah.
However, it will still be a tricky decision for her to choose and drop ministers because keeping everyone happy is not an option when there are 163 legislators vying for the red beacon and a bungalow.
Although, the BJP state president said that a decision about the induction of new names and dropping some present ministers would be based on performance but that fact is this is just an excuse. Finally, it all comes down to caste, creed and last but not least — the loyalty.
However, it is unlikely that the CM would opt for reshuffle before Diwali to avoid spoiling festival celebration mood of those who are likely to be dropped. Besides, party sources said that the organisational changes are more likely to happen before the Cabinet reshuffle to keep the option of accommodating dropped ministers with posts in the party to keep them in good humour.
