By IANS
Ahmedabad : Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has commenced his ministry making exercise, made a trifle difficult because seven of his ministers lost the assembly elections.
Of the seven, two were heavyweights: I.K. Jadeja and Bupendra Chudasma, the urban development minister and agriculture minister respectively. Both were considered efficient. Modi’s task is to find capable replacements.
The reasons are obvious.
The urban department ministry is in the process of implementing MoUs worth billions of rupees and needs a strong head to take projects to fruition.
The agricultural department also needs a person who can deliver as the state is in an overdrive to build an efficient food processing industry.
The grapevine has it that Modi, who led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a spectacular victory, has asked two senior colleagues if they had any suggestions to offer about the cabinet formation.
There is already speculation whether Amit Shah, who was the minister for home, will retain the post. Shah won the election this time with a whopping majority.
It is certain that Vajubhai Vala will get the finance portfolio. He had been the finance minister under Keshubhai Patel as well. Initially, Modi did not make Vala the finance minister when he formed the ministry in 2002.
No change is expected in the industry portfolio. It is likely to be retained by Anil Patel, the low profile businessman from Mehsana who had acquitted himself creditably in the outgoing cabinet.
But Patel has a likely competitor in Jay Narayan Vyas, the legislator from Sidpur. Vyas was a bureaucrat and headed the state’s industrial extension bureau before quitting the post and joining the BJP in 1990.
Vyas has a strong grip over the subject of industry and is considered competent in articulating issues relating to the industry.
In the Janata Dal-BJP ministry of 1990 under Chimanbhai Patel, Vyas was for a brief period chairman of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corp (GSRTC).
If Modi’s current tendency to spring surprises continues, Vyas can be a beneficiary.
Evidence of this was available at the swearing in ceremony on Christmas Day.
Modi floored sadhus, who had bitterly opposed him, by inviting them to the oath-taking function and providing them an exclusive enclosure. And after taking oath he proceeded towards them and bowed three times.
What came next was even better. He virtually barged into the house of BJP rebel leader and former chief minister Keshubhai Patel, just across his residence in Gandhinagar, ostensibly to seek his blessings.
The grand old man of the state BJP could do nothing but receive Modi and give him sweets. And Modi did not immediately leave. He spent half hour with him. No details were available but they certainly did not discuss weather.
This has triggered speculation that the BJP will not proceed against Keshubhai Patel on disciplinary ground beyond issuing a show cause notice.
Patel, who Modi replaced as chief minister in October 2001, led a major revolt against the BJP chief minister during the assembly polls. But Modi had the last laugh, winning even in Saurashtra region that was seen as Patel’s bastion.