Cabinet reshuffle buzz as minister Kurian resigns

NEW DELHI: George Kurian’s resignation as minister of state for minority affairs and PM Modi calling on the President re-ignited the buzz about the likelihood of a ministerial reshuffle before monsoon session of Parliament, slated for the second half of July. Kurian’s resignation, which had been on the cards since the lapse of his Rajya Sabha membership, has formally opened up a vacancy.At least one more slot is set to open up as Ravneet Singh Bittu , minister of state for railways, has also ceased to be a member of RS.More vacancies can follow if BJP chooses to implement the ‘one man-one post’ principle — something that would see chiefs of BJP’s Uttar Pradesh and Delhi units, Pankaj Chaudhary and Harsh Malhotra, resigning as MoS in ministries of finance and urban development.A reshuffle has been talked about also because of what is considered to be the need to infuse vigour into certain ministries which seem to be struggling to cope with the pace Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set and political considerations, including the increase in numbers of Shiv Sena (Shinde) after six MPs from the rival Uddhav Thackeray faction crossed over.BJP circles have also speculated whether West Bengal’s representation in the ministry will increase after the party’s surprise victory in the state in May. While Kurian’s resignation was expected, his appointment had caused surprise. Having looked after the office of BJP in Kerala, he was shocked when Modi plucked him to serve as a minister. The Prime Minister also managed to find a vacant seat, in what was seen as his gesture to a party faithful who had worked with no expectation of a reward.Kurian’s RS term had come to end on June 22.