Staff Reporter
Dimapur, June 16
Reports emerging from the regional political corridors say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be inducting a “second” batch of ministers before the second week of July, which, significantly is also before the 2014-2015 Union Budget session.
There is optimism in the NPF camp currently for that the ‘second’ group of ministers the Prime Minister would be inducting in few weeks will also include former chief minister of Nagaland and current Member of Parliament from Nagaland Neiphiu Rio.
In May, there was widespread expectation that the NDA securing power at the Centre would ensure a “cabinet berth” for the former chief minister of Nagaland. Voices of disappointment in Nagaland rose when the Prime Minister’s initial group of ministers did not include Rio in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The regional party from Nagaland is currently enjoying considerable limelight from national observers in that a regional party – from a Christian state, no less – aligned itself with the BJP, a primarily a nationalist Hindu organization.
Highly-placed leaders of the NPF today quoted statements of the NDA’s spokesperson that the PM would be inducting more ministers around in July.
On Monday, Secretary General of the party KG Kenye quoted NDA spokesperson that the central coalition would be undertaking a “second round” of induction for which the NPF expects Rio to get a ‘berth’ this time around.
“The NDA spokesperson said right after the induction of ministers that there would be a second induction in about three-four weeks. We are hoping this time he will get (a portfolio). We are keeping our fingers crossed,” the senior leader said.
Interestingly, the Economic Times has run a separate report on the 13th that Modi would be expanding his cabinet at the end of June. The reported expansion, from party sources, is reportedly to accommodate more allies of the NDA from Maharashtra, Bengal, and Bihar. The report does not analyze the chances of regional parties and other smaller allies of the BJP coalition.
Media official of the NPF, Abu Metha, has also hinted positive expectations from events that could possibly ensue “before the budget session.” On the former chief minister not landing a seat in Modi’s council, Metha said whether or not the former makes it to the cabinet did not signify that the NPF was not supporting the NDA.
As a protocol, government formalities are completed before statutory meetings such as budget sessions can take place. The reports about a “second induction” are consistent enough to mean there could be changes coming from the corridors of the Parliament in the coming few weeks before Modi’s first national budget.
The budget would be the first major economic statement from the Modi-led government that would reflect the coalition’s vision on fiscal consolidation, economy, and investment policies for this term.
