Are the Drums of Destiny rolling for Amit Shah to take a quantum leap? The bumblebees and humming birds swirling about Modi say he is going to make the most stunning change of guard in his cabinet on or around August 17. The red hot rumour is that Modi is likely to make his most trusted lieutenant Amit Shah the next full-time defence minister, a ministry that has not seen one since Manohar Parrikar was shunted out to Goa. It would be a typical Machiavellian move by Modi. First, since Shah is in any case coming into Rajya Sabha from Gujarat, he could be made the leader of the house and Arun Jaitley relieved of his job. Though the BJP does not have a majority in the upper house, Shah’s typical political temper could give the party a sharper edge. Some say Modi wants Jaitley to focus more on his prime responsibility of the finance ministry after getting released from upper house duties. In any case, Shah’s presence in the Rajya Sabha would bring in more system in the functioning of the BJP MPs. Besides, it is also known that whenever the Parliament is in session, Modi spends the maximum time there, but he is seen more in his Parliament House office rather than in the house itself. It is being speculated that he wants Shah to bridge that gap. Being defence minister would ensure that Shah regularly visits both houses and keep his hawk eyes on the BJP MPs. However, some top leaders are dismissing this as a mere rumour, for they insist that instead of eyeing a ministry, Shah is finalising his strategies for the upcoming polls in Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. These naysayers say also that if Shah becomes a minister, he will not remain the party president. So with the 2019 polls just two years ahead, will Modi take such a huge gamble? Let’s see how the saffron road takes its turn!