In poll year, ministry rejig a tricky affair  

BENGALURU :  As suspense over the much-talked about changes in the government continues, the ruling BJP seems to be facing a tricky situation as it cannot afford to get anything wrong in an election year, especially at a time when the government is facing a flurry of allegations.

The BJP and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai are said to be keen on a major rejig in the ministry to infuse dynamism in the government, by bringing in new faces and utilising the experience of senior leaders to strengthen the party ahead of the 2023 polls. “It is a tricky situation as the number of aspirants is high. They will be looking at a number of aspects, including the likely impact of dropping seniors from the ministry and making them work for the party, and also placating aspirants who will not be accommodated in the ministry,” sources said.

The CM and party will be striving to give adequate representation to all communities and regions, and ensure the right mix of youth and experience in the cabinet. However, the exercise has to be carried out without antagonising those who will be dropped, and suitably accommodating those who fail to make it to the ministry. Bommai is going full throttle in implementing programmes announced in the budget, and will be keen to ensure proper coordination between the party and government, to take state and central government programmes to the people.

Sources in the party said everything has been finalised and CM is said to be waiting for the high command’s nod to go ahead with the changes. Currently, five berths in the cabinet are vacant, but the plan is to make major changes and not just go for expansion, sources said. “The CM and central leaders will take the final call,” sources added.

Explaining the delicate situation faced by the CM and BJP, political analyst Prof Sandeep Shastri said there is a danger of expanding the cabinet when there are so many claimants. “You have minimal places and many people looking for positions. So, it is always useful to keep the bait and show it around. Once you fill up the positions, how are you going to deal with dissenters?” he said.

The challenge is to shake up the administration a bit ahead of the polls, and at the same time satisfy all the claimants for positions in the government and party. But that is not an easy task, especially as the government is taking a long time to even make appointments to boards and corporations. Sources in the party said the process of making these appointments is on, and over 4,800 people have been appointed to various positions at the taluk level, and state-level appointments will be done soon.

“I see it as a false alarm and don’t think the actual biting of the bullet will happen.” said Prof Shastri, and had a very pertinent question: “Is the solution more difficult than the problem?”