The Opposition has lashed out at the United Progressive Alliance for the “huge regional imbalance” in the Union Cabinet. They argue that the Congress leadership ignored Eastern and North Eastern States, which contribute about 140 seats to the Lok Sabha.
The principal Opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party, said the reshuffle was a “worthless” exercise. Party spokesperson, Shahnawaz Hussain, said the Congress ignored places towards the East of Lucknow. “From Lucknow to North East, no one has representation in the Union Cabinet,” Hussain, also an MP from Bihar, said.
UPA’s erstwhile ally, the Trinamool Congress, also criticised the reshuffle. “It’s huge regional imbalance. East of India has no representation,” former Minister of State in the Rural Development Ministry and Trinamool Congress leader, Saugata Roy, said.
The Biju Janata Dal said the justification that the President of the country was from West Bengal was not sufficient to explain the exclusion of Eastern India from the Cabinet. “The Congress units of these States failed to convince the leadership of the need for proper representation in the Cabinet,” BJD leader and MP, Bhartruhari Mahtab, said. He said the Congress’s base would be eroded further in the North Eastern region in the future.
‘Tainted’ promoted
The BJP said the Government had promoted tainted Ministers. “At least two people who are facing probe for corruption have been promoted,” Hussain said. He said the taint of corruption on the UPA had darkened after the reshuffle. “The UPA has proved that they will reward the corrupt,” he said.
On the alleged corporate influence in the reshuffle, Hussain said the Prime Minister owed an explanation to the people. “He should explain the criteria he adopted to promote, change and appoint Ministers,” Hussain said, and added that the UPA was a sinking ship.