Modi shunned kin of partymen, focussed on ‘merit & clean image’

As Bharatiya Janata Party’s president Amit Shah gets ready to announce his new team, all eyes are on whether he will follow the strategy adopted by his mentor and Prime Minister Narendra Modi while choosing the Council of Ministers or will he accommodate the wishes of senior party leaders for inducting their kin.

Mr. Modi steered clear of legacy while picking his Cabinet colleagues. He opted for a younger team and gave priority to “merit and clean image.” His choices on ministers left many old timers upset, but were approved of by the cadres and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, said party insiders.

“He chose people for their ability to deliver. He has consciously discouraged legacy. There were several members who were expected to get a ministerial berth because of their relatives in the party. For instance, Jayant Sinha (Yashwant Sinha’s son) and Anurag Thakur (Prem Kumar Dhumal’s son) were given a ticket to contest, but they were not inducted into the government. Instead, the Prime Minister went for newcomers like Sarbanand Sonowal and Dharmendra Pradhan,” said a senior party member.

As the party awaits the announcement of Mr. Shah’s new team before August 20, the focus has shifted to how these members are being selected.

“Ever since he took over, Mr. Shah has spent hours in the party headquarters meeting the grassroots workers, interacting with the booth-level workers and seeking feedback. He is unlikely to choose anyone under pressure, because like Mr. Modi, he believes in merit and the ability to deliver. It is possible that Mr. Modi’s style of choosing his team will reflect here as well,” the party functionary said.

But there is also pressure from a section within the party to induct the “second generation” members in the team as general secretaries and spokespersons.

Sources in the party assert that the new team will be “young, energetic and handpicked by Mr. Shah.”

“As Mr. Modi has indicated that he will expand the Council, there are many slots up for grabs. Merit will dominate, but there is a strong likelihood that leaders such as Anurag Thakur, Poonam Mahajan and Varun Gandhi, who have performed well and are active in their respective areas, will have important roles earmarked for them. There will also be important jobs marked for RSS members Ram Madhav and Shiv Prakash, who have recently been inducted into the party,” said another senior party member.

The BJP will announce replacements for four new general secretaries, three vice-presidents, two spokespersons and one treasurer who are now in the Council of Ministers, and restructure the Central Parliamentary Board.