Raman gets free hand but with caste, region rider

A day after all 17 ministers put in their papers, the BJP’s ‘‘core group’’ of six in the state authorised Chief Minister Raman Singh to reconstitute his ministry, upholding ‘‘caste and regional consideration’’.

Initially, Singh was keen to make ministers’ performance the criterion from dropping five ‘‘surplus’’ ministers but faced with questions on his own performance as chief minister, he termed the exercise as an ‘‘act of political balancing’’.

The core group discussed ‘‘broad contours’’ of the downsizing exercise for over five hours today. ‘‘It’s very easy to add on to the ministry’s strength but to chop off even a single (minister) is a very very tough job,’’ Singh said after the meeting. ‘‘Dropping of more than five ministers, induction of new faces and eventual changes in the portfolios, all options have been discussed. Announcement of names is only a formality left to me.’’