BJP flays PC getting Finance, elevation of Shinde as HM

"On the day the power grid failure took place which put 23 states and 64 crore people in darkness, Power Minister Shinde was given an instant reward by the Prime Minister when he made him the Home Minister. Such a reward for inefficiency is unparalleled," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.

The party maintained that instead of Shinde resigning or being asked to step down, he has been given "instan promotion".

Javadekar said Chidambaram should not have been given the Finance portfolio as a "matter of propriety" as his name had cropped up in connection with the controversial Aircel-Maxis deal.

"It was a malafide takeover. And how did Foreign Investment Promotion Board give permission when Chidambaram was the Finance Minister? Is this reshuffle a bid at a cover-up exercise?" he said.

BJP also hit out at the government for giving the important Power portfolio to Corporate Affairs Minister M Veerappa Moily as an "additional charge" and insisted this "shows a lack of seriousness on the part of the government in dealing with the power crisis".

"Moily himself has become a minister on transfer. First, he was transferred from the Law and Justice Ministry to the Corporate Affairs Ministry and now to Power," Javadekar said.

Javadekar also took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying unless his role in the government and the ruling party is decided, the younger lot will not be given a chance.