Constitutionally in India, the prime minister is accorded the status of “first among equals” in the council of ministers. Modi’s cabinet expansion has confirmed that, unlike the past, the council of ministers would be an extension of the PM’s office. By setting for a Cabinet reshuffle PM has demonstrated that there will be no administrative islands in his government. Every expansion of the Council of Ministers is a part of the political messaging of the government and this was no different. The transfer of the HRD portfolio from Smriti Irani, to Prakash Javadekar has surprised. Modi’s numero uno position entitles him to choose his council of ministers to run the government.
Vinod C. Dixit
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
