Amit Shah holds 12 ministries: his replacement is next job for Modi

Gujarat minister of state for Home Shri Amit Shah has resigned after framed by CBI with bunch of lies through chargesheet. As Amit Shah has resigned, it would be interesting to know who will hold his as many as 12 departments.

Shah is famous as minister of state for Home department, but he holds other 11 portfolios too. Shah is minister of State transport that looks after RTO and ST buses. Shah is also the minister of Law and Justice. He also holds Legislative & Parliamentary Affairs(Independent Charge) portfolios. Other portfolios are:Border Security, Prison, Civil Defence, Home Guards,Gram Rakshak Dal, Prohibition and Excise.These all departments are more or less related to Home ministry. Thus it is likely that whoever will be a new Home minister, will also hold Border Security, Prison, Civil Defence, Home Guards, Gram Rakshak Dal, Prohibition and Excise ministries.

Modi would definitely select his most loyal MLA as minister of these departments. Amit Shah was selected to hold these departments not because he was the smartest, or the most dynamic person available, but because Shah was the most loyal, low profile, and silent by nature MLA. Also Modi will need his loyal and cordial MLA to hold Law and Justice ministry. This ministry too was assigned to Shah, looking at his above said properties.

When Tamang report was out without the knowledge of Law minister Amit Shah, DeshGujarat had published a blog post suggesting Modi to asign the Law and Justice department to someone who could spare full time for that portfolio. This Law and Justice portfolio is very important for Modi govt because there are many cases going on as part of NGOs and central government’s ‘mission frame Modi.’ DeshGujarat had suggested that Modi should select someone dynamic, hardworking, loyal and with knowledge of law, and appoint him as new Law and Justice minister. Such person is not needed to be an MLA. Some seat can be vacated to make entry of useful person.

About Legislative & Parliamentary Affairs(Independent Charge) ministry – it can be given to any present minister as extra portfolio. As Gujarat assembly sessions function only for three-four days in every session except budget session, this portfolio is manageable. State transport ministry really needs a good minister. This department has always got either corrupt ministers, or the ministers who avoid it for the sake of their other cream portfolios.

It would be interesting to see, whether Modi allots Shah’s ministries to existing ministers or to plain MLAs. Modi government’s almost all ministers are already burdened with more than one portfolios. This is because, Modi favors small size of ministry(Modi himself holds General Administration, Planning, Administrative Reforms & Training Division, Home, Industries, Mines, Minerals, Energy, Petrochemicals, Ports, Information and Broadcasting, Narmada, Kalpsar, Science and Technology, All Policies and Subjects & Matters Not Allotted to Other Ministers)

For last many years, Gujarat witnesses Chief Ministers holding Home ministry with junior minister of state for same department. Gujarat has not seen independent cabinet Home minister. Also Gujarat has witnessed last three Home ministers elected from the city of Ahmedabad. In 1999 it was Haren Pandya from Ahmedabad’s Ellisbridge constituency, then it was Gordhan Zadafia from city’s Rakhial constituency, and then came Amit Shah from Ahmedabad’s Sarkhej electoral area. It seems that having Home minister from Ahmedabad is suitable to regime.

The last Congress minister of state for Home Narhari Amin was also from Ahmedabad. He was elected from Ahmedabad’s Naranpura area. Couple of minister in 90s like CD Patel and Mahendra Trivedi were from South Gujarat and Saurashtra respectively. Shankarsinh Vaghela and Dilip Parikh were Chief Ministers of Gujarat in 90s for a brief time who kept Home ministry with them, with Vipul Chaudhary as junior minister.

According to Gujarat’s Gandhinagar based political experts, Ahmedabad’s two MLAs Pradipsinh Jadeja(Chief Whip of BJP in Gujarat assembly) and Rakesh Shah(Ahemdabad city BJP Chief) could be selected by Modi for Shah’s portfolios if Modi wants fresh faces. However I am not believer in this. The most obedient and loyal present ministers whom Modi can think about are: Anandiben Patel, Nitin Patel and Dilip Sanghani. But they are all cabinet ministers. Minister Saurabh Patel who is not a cabinet minister and can become replacement of Shah is loyal, suitable and dynamic, but he is occupied in preparations of Vibrant Gujarat summit which is scheduled to take place in January 2011. Jaynarayan Vyas is cabinet minister burdened with Tourism and Health portfolios, but can hold seasonal and minor portfolio like Parliamentary affair, if Modi elevate it to Cabinet rank. But these all are just assumptions and speculations. It would be interesting to see whom Modi actually selects eventually. At least Law & Justice, Home and Prison ministries are very important for him at this stage.