Small, compact Narendra Modi cabinet shaping up

NEW DELHI: A small and compact cabinet under Narendra Modi appeared to be taking final shape Sunday, with BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, and Sushma Swaraj likely to get the top posts, according to party sources.

The cabinet is expected to be compact, said party sources. Restructuring is expected in the government and some ministries are likely to be merged.

BJP president Rajnath Singh appears set to be the next home minister, but internal security may be taken away from the home ministry and kept with the prime minister's office.

Talks are on over Rajnath Singh's replacement in the party, with general secretary and former Himachal Pradesh minister JP Nadda among the contenders for the post.

While Arun Jaitley is likely to get finance ministry, Sushma Swaraj may get external affairs or defence ministry.

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Najma Heptulla, Sumitra Mahajan and Ananth Kumar are also likely to find place in the cabinet, as are representatives from allies Shiv Sena, and Telugu Desam Party, whose chief N Chandrababu Naidu also met Modi Sunday.

However, coming out of the meeting, Naidu said that a ministerial post is not important.

"I did not ask for any representation," he said.

"We are an ally of the NDA, power is not important, national development is important. Both in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana there are problems. Under his (Modi's) leadership, we want a solution to these problems," Naidu said.

However, TDP sources in Hyderabad said Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju is likely to be the lone face from the TDP to be inducted into the union cabinet Monday.

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Small, compact Narendra Modi cabinet shaping up