The senior Congress leader from Karnataka was shifted from law ministry to ‘low profile’ corporate affairs in the cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, which is being termed as a signal from the party that he should mend his ways.
As the Law Ministry’s role is crucial, especially in the coming days with the government fighting several cases, including the 2G spectrum scam and the commonwealth games scam in court, it is learnt that Manmohan Singh brought in Salman Khurshid as he is considered to be more serious in approach.
Moily, a former Karnataka chief minister, had a swift rise in the party in 2009 as he had a host of responsibilities — being in charge of party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, and earlier, Assam and Tamil Nadu; a permanent invitee of the Congress working committee; chairman of the media department of the AICC as well as department of policy planning and coordination — all at one time. Moily was also the chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission.
Now, he has just one post, that too of heading a “low profile” corporate affairs ministry. His “decline” began soon after he failed to defend Rahul Gandhi when the latter praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Moily was removed as the party media department chairman.
YSR’s death
The death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekar Reddy was a setback to Moily. Seen as being close to Reddy’s son Jaganmohan Reddy, Moily faced severe criticism for his failure to control the former (Jagan) when he fell out with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Subsequently, Moily was divested of his responsibility of looking after party affairs in Andhra Pradesh.
The repeated blunders he committed by giving frequent statements and subsequent denials on several issues also is said to be one of the reasons for his “demotion”.
Despite being Law minister, he was virtually kept out in major decision-making exercises recently, including negotiating with yoga guru Baba Ramdev on the black money issue.
‘Victim of campaign by vested interest’
Seemingly upset with the change of portfolio from Law Minister to Corporate Affairs Minister, Congress leader Veerappa Moily said he has been a victim of campaign by “vested interests” who did not like the reforms introduced by him in the law ministry, DHNS reports from New Delhi.
“That campaign is by vested interests. I introduced several reforms. Reform does not please everybody,” Moily said.
Moily, however, asserted that he does not feel being slighted. The minister added he is “proud of the reforms” that he has introduced in the law ministry and will continue to do so in his new ministry.