New Delhi: One of the senior most BJP leaders and finance minister in the outgoing government Arun Jaitly has decided to opt out of the new government at the centre despite the resounding victory of the National Democratic Alliance. Jaitley has been the most trusted man of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after party president Amit Shah and defended the government on many crisis situations.

Sources said that Jaitley has already communicated to the Prime Minister that he won’t be able to join his ministry due to health reasons. His health has not been allowing him to take any big responsibility. In a situation where the finance ministry is vacated by Jaitley then Piyush Goyal is the strongest contender but it is also learnt that PM does not want him to give this responsibility to him.

So there are chances that party president Amit Shah might be entrusted with the responsibility of finance minister however the PM wants him to continue with the same responsibility. But Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) is likely to remain more a less unchanged despite the fact that Sushma Swaraj did not contest Lok Sabha election. She is another leader who might ask to recues from the ministry.

Jaitley has been continuously missing from the ministerial responsibility even the last budget was presented by Piyush Goyal while Jaitley presented most of his earlier budgets sitting due to health reason. Swaraj had already excused herself from contesting Lok Sabha elections. If Amit Shah takes up ministerial responsibility then J P Nadda might be given the responsibility of party president.

Chances of Amit Shah donning ministerial responsibility is speculated because his another term will complete two years before the next Lok Sabha elections as BJP president can get only two consecutive terms so next election under another president would be risky so Amit Shah might take up the responsibility just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.