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Too little, too late

If the purpose behind Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s latest ministerial reshuffle was to rejuvenate the image of the United Progressive Alliance government and give it a youthful and winsome facelift, the exercise has flopped. With less than a year before the next general election becomes officially due, the reshuffle, if it can be called that, could be this government’s last. If performance in office was the criterion, poorly performing heavy-weights should have been shown the door. Conversely, talented and dynamic but underemployed ministers should have been rewarded with greater responsibilities. Handing over additional charge of Power to Jairam Ramesh, Minister of State in Commerce, is a positive move but it will make a difference only if the senior minister, S.K. Shinde, is prepared to share his portfolio. Taking Youth Affairs and Sports away from Mani Shankar Aiyar would have made sense only if the Prime Minister had been ready to entrust him with something weightier. That one of the brightest and best-performing ministers in the Cabinet, who did imaginative and bold strategic thinking when he held the Petroleum portfolio and challenged conventional wisdom on sports priorities, has been marginalised sends out the wrong message.

The induction of two young Congress Members of Parliament — Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jatin Prasada — is welcome. But why on earth has Sachin Pilot, a rising star in the Congress firmament, been overlooked? One can only sympathise with the young MPs upon whom ministerial responsibilities have been thrust so late in the government’s innings. Sonia Gandhi’s revelation that Rahul Gandhi chose not to enter government at this time should put an end to speculation on who will be the Congress party’s prime ministerial candidate in the 15th general election. Had the heir apparent been inducted, a dynastically led party would have found it hard to dispel the impression that he would be made Prime Minister if the Congress were to head a coalition government again. That the planned fast track movement is being postponed is as much a reflection of Mr. Gandhi’s weakness as a politician as it is of the party’s doubts about its electoral prospects. As inflation soars, the positive buzz generated by the ‘pro-farmer’ budget has all but dissipated. In crucial States such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, the Congress appears unwilling to go for the BJP’s jugular on issues like law and order, communalisation, and Salwa Judum. It is very well to have a young minister here, a tribal minister there. In the absence of far-sighted, people-oriented, and effective policies, a butterfingered ruling party is likely to find the next 11 months difficult.

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