Post Cabinet Reshuffle, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari May Get Additional Charge of Railways: Report

Earlier in the day, Railway Minister offered his resignation to PM Modi, taking "moral responsibility" of the back-to-back train derailment incidents within the past four days.

Updated: August 23, 2017 10:25 PM IST

By India.com News Desk

Post Cabinet Reshuffle, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari May Get Additional Charge of Railways: Report

New Delhi, Aug 23: Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, may get the additional charge of Railways following the Cabinet reshuffle. According to reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is mulling the option of dropping incumbent Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu from Cabinet.

PM Modi may introduce the concept of ‘super ministry’ by merging the Transport Ministry with the Railways and appointing Gadkari as its head, reported Aaj TakThe report, however, is yet to be officially confirmed.

The speculations of Prabhu being on his way out turned rife after he offered his resignation to the Prime Minister, taking “moral responsibility” of the back-to-back train derailment incidents which claimed the lives of 24 passengers and left more than 160 injured.

“I am extremely pained by the unfortunate accidents, injuries to passengers and loss of precious lives. It has caused me deep anguish,” Prabhu said, further adding that he was asked by the Prime Minister to “wait” before quitting from the post.

The trigger to Prabhu’s move came after the derailment of Kaifiyat Express today in UP’s Auraiya district today, which left nearly 74 passengers wounded, four with grievous injuries. The accident came barely a couple of days after the Haridwar-bound Utkal Express derailed in Muzaffarnagar, causing the death of 24 passengers.

Cabinet Reshuffle

The fourth Cabinet reshuffle in the Modi government is expected to be held before September 3, when PM Modi would leaving for China to attend the BRICS summit.

Senior RSS functionaries, along with PM Modi and Amit Shah would be deliberating upon the changes, reported India Today.

Apart from the Railway Ministry changing hands, the government is also expected to appoint a full-time Defence Minister, considering the challenges faced by Indian forces on both eastern and western front.

Nearly 12 Ministers who are holding additional charges may get relieved of at least one portfolio, with the government accommodating other senior leaders from BJP and alliance partners, considering the fact that only 19 months are left for the next Lok Sabha polls.

Cabinet berths could also be granted to the recently patched-up AIADMK, which has indicated the signs of entering the NDA fold. Reports also claim that two JD(U) MPs may get inducted into the Cabinet.

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