Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s new council of ministers will meet for a three-day conclave next week to plan the government’s agenda for the next three years, according to sources, as the government seeks to address growing public resentment.
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Struggle with criticism in recent times
PM Modi’s government has been seen training in recent months to overcome criticism over a range of topics, including its management of the COVID-19 outbreak, the rising cost of living, and the continuous pushback against his new agricultural regulations, for the first time since he came to power in 2014.
Last month, he fired a dozen ministers, including those in charge of health, information technology, and oil, in an attempt to reenergize his government and shield himself from criticism.
The new administration was sworn in with a slew of fresh faces, with special attention paid to the approaching state elections.
According to BJP insiders who spoke to NDTV, the new team of ministers will meet in Parliament after 6 p.m. on Tuesday to chart a course for the next three years, which will be their first significant test since gaining office.
Target of the meeting
The insiders also informed that all ministries’ work will be examined and targets will be set within the last month. New ministers would be informed on their portfolios and ministries, as well as what is expected of them.
Tensed scenario among the members of BJP
The BJP and its ideological father, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), are concerned about PM Modi’s dent in popularity which failed to sway enough voters in West Bengal this year, as seven states hold elections next year and national elections in 2024.
These reasons have influenced many of the party’s recent moves, from the cabinet reshuffle to the restructuring of its leadership in states like Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Intense opposition attack since last year
After returning to power in 2019, the government has been seen floundering in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and incessant opposition attacks since last year, despite being able to list two major announcements in its first two years – scrapping Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and the construction of the Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.
Disfavour from middle-class in recent times
Aside from the government’s mishandling of the second coronavirus wave and farmers’ steadfast opposition to a set of reforms, an out-of-control increase in the price of fuel, cooking oil, and other essentials has earned the government significant disapproval from middle-class voters in recent months.
