ALEX Salmond's most extensive reshuffle in his five years as First Minister has put his Government firmly on a war footing for the referendum battle already under way.

By putting Nicola Sturgeon at the centre of the campaign, he knows he will maximise his chances of wooing the don't knows, the maybes and the waverers who will decide the contest.

Mr Salmond is revered by many but – whisper it to the faithful – his appeal is not limitless. He knows from the polling data pored over by his party that his deputy will help reach out to a broader cross-section of Scots.

A YouGov poll in July showed a yawning gulf in support for independence between men and women. It found 39% of men wanted Scotland to leave the UK compared with 22% of women.

Crucially, while only 8% of men said they were undecided, 23% of women were unsure how they would vote.

The gender gap is even reflected in Mr Salmond's perennially impressive personal approval ratings. Ipsos Mori, which polled Scots in June, found 58% of men were satisfied with his performance as First Minister compared with 49% of women. That's far from being a turn-off, but the SNP believe Ms Sturgeon can only galvanise support among women.

The same is felt about young people, another group who seem slightly less in thrall to the Salmond magic.

And, perhaps even more importantly, Mr Salmond wants to draw on Ms Sturgeon's proven ability to build consensus around controversial issues and mobilise it for the independence fight. As Health Secretary she took on a united Holyrood opposition and the might of drinks industry to make minimum alcohol pricing a reality.

Even before their landslide election victory made it inevitable, she won broad public support by rallying an army of health campaigners, academics and a senior police officers to the cause.

Those skills will now be unleashed on supporters of devo max if, as seems increasingly likely, the Scottish Government abandons a "more powers" referendum option in favour of a straight Yes/No poll.

In that case those advocating greater devolution – including influential church leaders, charity chiefs and trade unionists – will be gently invited to conclude that only independence, rather than the status quo, could fulfil their ambitions.

That is still some way off. Ms Sturgeon's first task in her new role is to strike a deal with the UK Government on the format of the referendum.

She sounded optimistic of achieving that in weeks – though it should be noted that keeping the chance of a two question poll alive remains an "issue of principle" for the First Minister.

He was bullish defending his reshuffle yesterday.

Faced with a chorus of opposition claims he was putting the referendum before the running the country, he produced a two word response: "Alex Neil."

The new Health Secretary, he said, was "one of the most formidable government ministers we have".

He added: "I don't want to be rude about other politicians but I hardly think Alex Neil will be quaking in his boots to be taking on [Scottish Labour health spokeswoman] Jackie Baillie or [newly appointed UK Health Secretary] Jeremy Hunt."

As for the infrastructure, investment and cities brief he leaves behind, it puts Ms Sturgeon at the heart of the Government's growth strategy.

In effect she has been given a platform to bring to life the central theme of Mr Salmond's programme for government speech: his claim the Scottish economy is outperforming the rest of the UK thanks to the work of his ministers, while inviting voters to imagine what more could be achieved.

It is now Ms Sturgeon's job to spend public money on projects that create jobs.

And, as sure as night follows day, she will be pictured doing so, decked out in hard hat and fluorescent tabard, on building sites from Wick to Wigtown.

Independence, or even a cash advance from Westminster, she will tell us, would kickstart more "shovel ready" projects.

The reshuffle has changed a lot. But that will surely stay the same.