Union Home Minister Amit Shah is deemed a master political strategist.
Amit Shah, the number two in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, will now also handle the newly-set up Ministry of Cooperation along with his current Home Affairs portfolio. The additional charge was made known today as part of the massive reshuffle of ministries that saw several old timers making way for new faces.
The setting up of the Ministry of Cooperation was announced yesterday, aimed at providing more heft to the cooperative movement in the country. "Sahkar se samriddhi" (Prosperity from cooperation) is its vision statement, according to a release from the Cabinet Secretariat released yesterday.
"This ministry will provide a separate administrative, legal, and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country. It will help deepen co-operatives as a true people-based movement reaching up to the grassroots," it said.
The Modi government's decision to set up a new Ministry of Co-operation follows the commitment Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had made in her Budget speech this year.
Mr Shah, considered the closest to the Prime Minister in the BJP's scheme of things, will, however, retain the Home Affairs portfolio which he has handled since PM Modi returned to power in 2019.
He has been a fellow traveller in PM Modi's political journey of decades. He handled the Gujarat home ministry under Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Deemed an astute political strategist, Mr Shah is viewed as a key player in most of the Prime Minister's success stories.
In the Union Home Ministry, he will now be aided by three Ministers of State -- Nityanand Rai, Ajay Kumar, and Nisith Pramanik, the last two being the new additions.