Cabinet rejig? Goa CM Parrikar meets PM Modi, tipped as Defence Minister

There are many states like Rajasthan that are not well represented in the Council of Ministers.

Chief Ministers Conference on Internal Security

Manohar Parrikar and Narendra Modi.

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah Wednesday triggered speculation about a possible Cabinet expansion before Modi leaves for Myanmar on November 11. Parrikar, who was one of the first front-line BJP leaders to openly canvass for Modi as BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, is tipped to be the Defence Minister.

While there was no official confirmation, sources in the BJP said Modi could induct some more ministers in his 45-member Council of Ministers, while also promoting some ministers of state. However, no alliance partners have been sounded out about the likely expansion, which could take place on November 9. There are many states like Rajasthan that are not well represented in the Council of Ministers.

The Prime Minister will be out of country from November 11 to November 20, with the Winter Session of Parliament scheduled to start on November 24.

Story continues below this ad

Currently, over a dozen ministers, including ministers with independent charge, have more than one portfolio. Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal and Prakash Javadekar hold charges of more than one important ministry.

Apart from Parrikar, the other names in the reckoning for a place in the Council of Ministers include former power minister Suresh Prabhu, who was recently named as the Prime Minister’s sherpa for the G-20 summit, BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP leader Ashwini Chaubey from Bihar, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha’s son Jayant Sinha, a Lok Sabha MP from Jharkhand, MP Hansraj Ahir from Maharashtra and former Congress CWC member Birender Singh. The sources said PM could also elevate Prakash Javadekar, Nirmala Sitharaman and Rao Inderjeet Singh to Cabinet rank. All are currently ministers of state with independent charge.

However, Parrikar himself told reporters after his meeting with Modi that the Prime Minister had not spoken to him “about my joining the Cabinet” and that they only “discussed Goa issues”.

2 suspects in Louvre heist case arrested by French police: report

World1 hr ago

French police have arrested two suspects in the Louvre jewel heist, one at the airport and the other in a Paris suburb. They are currently being questioned by authorities. Paris police have not yet commented on the situation.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS