Cabinet reshuffle eyes 2019 polls: Sitharaman gets defence, Goyal railway

Former bureaucrats like R K Singh, Alphons, Puri inducted to strengthen PM's focus on delivery

In symbolism as well as an eye for detail, the reshuffle of the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi-led Council of Ministers on Sunday morning was aimed at the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The PM only tried to fix what was broken, leaving several of the ministers with more than one portfolio; this also underscored the talent deficit the government faces. 

If the PM was attempting to recapture the political narrative with the rejig, he accomplished it by projecting the “woman power” of his government in elevating Nirmala Sitharaman as defence minister. This was also aimed at bolstering the Bharatiya Janata