Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Pick your Union Council before Modi!

September 02, 2017 18:22 IST

Here's your chance to pick your choice of ministers!

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will expand his Union Council of Ministers, the third such exercise since he came to power in May 2014, on Sunday morning.

In the first reshuffle on November 9, 2014, Modi inducted 21 ministers, including Suresh Prabhu, Manohar Parrikar, and M A Naqvi. 

In the second rejig on July 5, 2016, 19 ministers of state were brought in.

The third one may be Modi's ambitious exercise yet, and possibly the last till the next Lok Sabha elections due in April 2019.

 

It also comes ahead of important state elections, in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh this year, and Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Karnataka next year. The reshuffle will have to keep electoral compulsions in mind, too.

The NDA has also made some new friends who may need to be accommodated, like the Janata Dal-United and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Plus, of course, there are key vacancies that need to be filled. Suresh Prabhu has sought to be relieved of railways following a spate of mishaps, Manohar Parrikar has chosen to be Goa chief minister over defence minister, while Venkaiah Naidu has become Vice President. Their portfolios need to be apportioned.

Given all these pulls and pressures, Prime Minister Modi has a task on his hand.

But an easier task awaits you, dear reader. Here's your chance to choose who should occupy 10 key portfolios.

Below, on the left, are 15 suggestions, and on the right are the 10 ministries.

Choose who you want in which ministry by clicking on the image to match it to the ministry.

Press the submit button at the bottom to finalise your selection and, bingo!, your Union Council is in place. Ahead of even Pradhan Mantri Modi's!