After exit polls predicted a comfortable victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, political and bureaucratic circles are agog with talk of a possible revamp and restructuring of the key Union Ministries after a new government assumes office.
Think tanks and strategy groups of the BJP, which have on board several former bureaucrats, have been focussing on priority areas for the new government in accordance with the BJP’s manifesto, which had the imprint of the party’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi.
Informed sources in the BJP said a Modi-led government would restructure at least half a dozen ministries. Indications are that a large and crucial Ministry like that of Home Affairs may be restructured with key divisions such as internal security, border management, Jammu and Kashmir and Centre-State relations getting more focussed attention. The effort will be to ensure better and seamless coordination between the Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office.
In his election speeches, Mr. Modi spoke about involving all Chief Ministers in the development and governance of the country. There is a possibility of a total revamp of the National Development Council and the almost non-functional Inter-State Council. “If there is a discussion on national security, the Chief Ministers of border States like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and the north-eastern States are likely to be fully involved,” sources said.