Cabinet rejig likely before monsoon session: HT's Bhartia

Shobhna Bhartia, chairperson of Hindustan Times Group expects a Cabinet reshuffle before monsoon session of the Parliament, after the exit of DMK ministers and sacking of two top UPA ministers.

“There are so many ministers holding dual charges after the exit of the DMK ministers; dual charges were virtually given in all the portfolios that they held. That apart I think it is now or never. It is the last chance UPA has of trying to bring about a different image for the Cabinet,” she told CNBC-TV18 in an interview. She says the grapevine suggests the UPA might want to do it before their anniversary May 22. “I definitely feel there will be some tinkering with the Cabinet but whether or not it happens in the next four-five days as is being speculated is really something known only to the government. However, I do see a cabinet reshuffle happening at some point before we come in for the monsoon session,” she says.
Below is the verbatim transcript of her interview to CNBC-TV18 Q: While Kapil Sibal and CB Joshi have taken charge of the two vacated ministries, are you expecting a bigger cabinet reshuffle in the days to come? A: There is bound to be a reshuffle in the days to come. There are so many ministers holding dual charges after the exit of the DMK ministers dual charges were virtually given in all the portfolios that they held. That apart I think it is now or never, it is the last chance UPA has of trying to bring about a different image for the cabinet. Talks are that they may want to do it before the anniversary on the 22nd. However, I won't hold that as a hard and fast date, I definitely feel that they will go in to try and fill the vacancies caused by the exit of the DMK ministers. They have lost two of their colleagues right now and they have given additional charges. So, I definitely feel there will be some tinkering with the cabinet but whether or not it happens in the next four-five days as is being speculated is really something known only to the government. However, I do see a cabinet reshuffle happening at some point before we come in for the monsoon session. Q: Do you think the current resignations have ramifications from the Prime Minister (PM) because a lot of the fingers are finally pointing to him and a couple of them were his appointments and he was apparently reluctant to let them go in the first place. Do you see any vulnerability from the Prime Ministers office because of what has happened in the last couple of days? A: I definitely think that he has to take the responsibility for what has happened. I don't know whether eventually, the buck has to stop with him. If we credit him for all the positives of the government then at the end of the day he has to take the responsibility. That apart forget the fact that both the ministers are perceived as being close to the PM because quite independent of the PM, Pawan Kumar Bansal has been a five term MP, still enjoys a very strong base in Punjab and is also considered to be close to the party. However that is not the relevant point. To my mind the fact is that whatever the law minister did, he did for the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The PM was the coal minister. The law minister was not personally benefiting. At the time when the so called coal allocations were under some kind of a scanner and the PM was holding the portfolio, fingers will point eventually as it is already happening. The BJP is already pointing a finger and the left is demanding the PM’s resignation. So, it is going to be very difficult to try and deflect the entire fallout and to say that both the ministers have therefore resigned and that is the end of the story. The buck has to stop with the PM. Therefore, he has to take responsibility and see what needs to be done now to strengthen the institutions such as CBI from the political interference that has been going on. I think they were left with no option, but to sack both the ministers.