Massive overhaul

Cabinet reshuffle signals govt's willingness to improve performance

A Union Cabinet reshuffle usually reflects a prime minister’s mix of priorities — coalition requirements, political constraints, caste considerations, as well as some questions of accountability and efficiency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first reshuffle of his Cabinet since he was re-elected in 2019 presumably is no exception. It will be scrutinised not just for what it says about future political directions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its partners in the National Democratic Alliance, but also for what the prime minister’s opinions are about the effectiveness or otherwise of recent policy. From that point of view, the big news