Describing the rejig of the Union council of ministers as a political necessity, the BJP’s bickering ally Shiv Sena said experiments continued even after three years of the Narendra Modi government.
The Shiv Sena in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana said that the people were still waiting for ‘achhe din’, evoking BJP’s 2014 election catchline.
Stating that allotment of portfolios was BJP’s internal affair, the editorial added, “... we cannot keep quiet as this has a bearing on national security and the country’s development,” adding, “Modi government has completed three years but experiments are still on in the ministry. People are still waiting for the miracle of ‘achhe din’.”
“Those handpicked by Modi and (BJP chief) Amit Shah were inducted,” it said.
While advanced age was cited as the reason for the ouster of some, even their younger colleagues hadn’t made much of a mark, said the Uddhav Thackeray-led party, which is in alliance with the BJP both in Maharashtra and the Centre.
“Demonetisation has flopped completely. Inflation and unemployment are rising. Basic issues of food, clothing and shelter remain. In cities like Mumbai, there is confusion among students about delayed results due to anarchy in universities,” it said, referring to the delay in the declaration of results of Mumbai University this year.
“States such as Bihar, Assam, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh have been ravaged by floods and deaths in government hospitals refuse to cease. Which ministry solved which problem?” it asked.
“Though Suresh Prabhu was relieved of the ministry of railways, the department lies in shambles,” it said. “The Ganga clean-up mission was in complete disarray but Uma Bharti was spared the axe,” it added.
“Cabinet expansion was a political necessity of the BJP and the party did just that,” the Sena said.