New Delhi: Senior BJP leader and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was added to four more committees of the Union cabinet late Thursday, a day after the Cabinet Secretariat released the list of committees reconstituted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the exercise reflecting the special stature granted to Home Minister Amit Shah, who was made part of all the eight panels.
The move about Rajnath Singh came amid speculation that he was unhappy over not being given his due in the formation of the panels. Singh is the de facto No.2 in the cabinet who was not part of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs. He was only part the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).
Rajnath now has been made the member in six panels, one of which he is heading, according to a late evening release issued by the government. It was the second list of cabinet committees issued by the Cabinet Secretariat in the last two days.
Significantly, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, which makes appointments to key positions like Central Vigilance Commission and CBI Director, consists of only Modi and Shah.
Among the eight committees, two are new ones which will oversee investment and employment.
According to the latest list of cabinet committees, the Prime Minister is heading six committees, while Home Minister Amit Shah is heading the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation and is part of all the remaining seven. Rajnath is heading the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.
The Prime Minister heads the Appointments Committee, CCEA, Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, CCS, Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth and the Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development.
Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also part of seven panels while Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari is a member of four committees.
The panels in which Rajnath features are: Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, Cabinet Committee on Security, Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth and Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development.
IANS