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Multiple messages

The surprise, ever part of the Prime Minister’s script, came courtesy Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman being entrusted with the critical defence…

Multiple messages

Nirmala Sitharaman (Photo: PIB)

The surprise, ever part of the Prime Minister’s script, came courtesy Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman being entrusted with the critical defence portfolio. And while there was no grand plan evident from Mr Narendra Modi’s third ministerial rejig, there were multiple messages: a couple decidedly positive, others moderate, a few rather surprising. As is customary with all governments, such exercises attempt a balance of administrative competence, political stature, electoral strategy, caste and regional considerations etc ~ the result being a mixed bag. Somewhat surprising was new-found ally JD (U) not making it to the ministerial council: that would appear to diminish the clout Nitish Kumar thought he had acquired when ditching his electoral allies. The faction war in the AIADMK probably took its toll, as did the electoral reversal suffered by the Akali Dal, and since the rest of the NDA has little to boast, the rerig turned out to be in-house affair of the BJP, which fuels speculation that another round of tinkering could be undertaken. It must be remembered that such exercises do not bring instant results, so neither praise nor criticism ought to be immediately offered.

It is unfair to Mrs Sitharaman, who has proved her competence in her previous assignment, that her elevation to South Block is being projected from a gender perspective, and confirms that “tokenism” is by default read into so much women-related action. True she has no “defence” experience ~ neither have many male predecessors ~ but she does have the intelligence and energy to tackle the job. Of equal importance to the superintendence of defence is that the PMO and National Security Adviser play major roles. There is a mountain of work pending in the MoD, it is in the interests of national security that Mrs Sitharman be wished success. The “elevation” of the three others to Cabinet status comes as no surprise, Piyush Goyal had done enough in his previous assignment to merit succeeding Suresh Prabhu in Rail Bhawan. The minorities would feel appeased by Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi getting a boost in rank, as by the induction of Alphons Kannanthanam as a minister of state. Additional responsibility for Nitin Gadkari was a reward, so too Smriti Irani getting charge of I & B. Much could be expected with Col RS Rathore now handling sport. Uma Bharati is out of favour.

The spin-doctors’ theory of the rejig being efficiency-oriented has not been entirely fleshed out. The much-hyped experience of Hardeep Puri, Alphons, RK Singh and Satya Pal Singh has not been “reflected” in the departments they have been allotted. The other “spin” that two women will now be part of the key Cabinet Committee on Security is negated by all nine new ministers being men. As for efficiency, surely agriculture could do with an injection of expertise. Farm lands are in trouble.

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