JOIN USAt first look, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maiden expansion of his council of ministers may appear to be an open admission that his much-acclaimed maxim of “minimum government and maximum governance” has not worked in practice, as his critics have pointed out.
Surely, Modi sought to address the obvious imbalances in regional representation and portfolio allocations while seeking to correct his options he exercised when he formed his government six months ago.
But, beyond the fact that 21 new faces were brought in to meet the shortage of hands to run important ministries and reduce the burden of senior ministers, Modi has shown that he is as much seized with priorities of the BJP as with that of his government in the face of numerous political challenges ahead.
Also, increasingly, the expectations of the people and the party from his government are becoming synonymous. Every election win for BJP reinforces the fact that growing clamour is performance and delivery of promises quickly beyond political rhetoric that Modi is often associated with.
In all, four cabinet ministers, three ministers of state (MoS) with independent charge and 14 MoS were inducted. The rationale for the four new cabinet ministers – former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, former Shiv Sena leader Suresh Prabhu, BJP general secretary J P Nadda and once powerful Jat leader Birender Singh who shifted to BJP to oppose former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda – are not difficult to decipher.
Modi wanted Parrikar to join his team as defence minister right in the beginning. But the latter was reluctant to leave Goa for two reasons: he was good at managing the state affairs and Delhi lay in his not-so comfort zone. Secondly, he felt his independent way of functioning might not gel with the PM who is more than the first among the equals. But Modi had his way finally, telling him clearly that he wanted him in defence, which is the new government’s top priority – from fixing old warships, aircraft and tanks to buying new ones to modernise India’s armoury without, of course, falling into any scam.
Even before he formally joined the BJP, Prabhu, who is a former banker and a chartered accountant, was designated Modi’s Sherpa for the G-20 summit a month ago, having built his reputation from the NDA days as someone who is part of a think tank that looks at challenges in the economy like energy, transport and irrigation with innovative ideas and alternative models.
Prabhu’s role in the Sena was anything but active since he was asked to quit the Vajpayee government by late Sena boss Bal Thackeray over his refusal to be party to any ‘deals’ over power projects. Prabhu’s USP then and now remains his personal integrity that remains unsullied till date. Nadda’s choice may be seen as controversial over his alleged role in the forceful exit of a vigilance officer from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. But his reputation as Himachal Pradesh forest and environment minister to check timber mafias and as an able organiser ranked high on Modi’s estimation.
Chaudhary Birendra Singh does not actually fit into Modi’s governance model. But the once Jat face of the Congress who lost out to Hooda for CM’s post, had to be rewarded for crossing over to the BJP before the Lok Sabha polls.
Among the new entrants at the Ministers of State (Independent charge) level, Rajiv Pratap Rudy serves the twin purpose that Modi has for him. As a Rajput leader from Bihar, Rudy’s inclusion strengthens the BJP’s appeal among the upper castes ahead of the state polls exactly a year from now. He is also an experienced minister, having served in the NDA regime.
Labour ministry, key Bandaru Dattreya, the fourth-time MP from Secunderabad which is now from Telangana, is known for his proximity to trade unions like the RSS-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh. As the new labour minister, his task is cut out. He has to get the unions on board for a wide range of steps that free business from old trade unionism and make them approve to a slew of labour reforms that the Modi government proposes to launch. Dattreya had served in the Vajpyee government earlier and is no green horn when it comes to complicated official matters.
Significantly, Modi broadened search for fresh ministerial talent by picking up Olympic silver medallist Rajyavardhan Rathore and Bollywood Singer Babul Supriyo, both first time MPs. Rathore’s task is to assist Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who remains now the chief spokesperson of the government, as information and broadcasting minister articulating its decisions.
Modi also chose Jayant Sinha, son of former finance minister Yashwant Sinha, who studied at IIT, Delhi and Harvard. He will assist Finance Minister Jaitley. As a young professional, Sinha brings to the table his exposure to global practices for boosting the economy and should serve as a planner as well as executioner of the new ideas.
The Team Modi, with new stars and stripes, may have a long way to go and Sunday’s exercise may not be last word. The issues of governance are not just about some innovative ideas incubating in Modi's mind that need to be implemented. A lethargic and indifferent bureaucracy cannot be counted to do much to bring momentum even if there is no dearth of well-meaning, if not well-defined, ideas.
Modi does need people to man ministries who can give that push to bureaucracy and remind everyone that he has not come to power to fail but deliver on the agenda that won the BJP its huge mandate.
A lot of noise is no substitute for something to show on the ground. Also, the paucity of ministerial talent that confronted the new PM when he formed his government on May 26 remains a big problem till date. The mantra is “just perform”.