Modi set for first cabinet reshuffle

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi is on Sunday expected to carry out the first major reshuffle of his cabinet since storming to power in May, with the key defence portfolio likely to go to a new minister. Manohar Parrikar, a sauve regional leader of Modi’s right-wing Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), is tipped to take over as defence minister after resigning Saturday as chief minister of the resort coastal state of Goa. Parrikar’s likely appointment would ease the burden on Arun Jaitley, who has been juggling both the defence and finance ministries while battling ill-health. A government source said on Saturday that Parrikar had accepted an offer to ‘head a key ministry’ but the portfolio would only be announced the next day. Analysts said the cabinet rejig could come as a relief to several of Modi’s ministers who have been handling multiple portfolios.