Nine new ministers may take oath today: Sources

At least nine new faces could be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers today when PM Modi undertakes an expansion and reshuffle of his ministry, said to be crucial ahead of assembly elections in some states and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls

Nitin Gadkari

At least nine new faces could be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers today when PM Modi undertakes an expansion and reshuffle of his ministry, said to be crucial ahead of assembly elections in some states and the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The swearing-in ceremony has been fixed for 10.30 am at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

As per a list released by a TVâÂÂu00c2u0080ÂÂu00c2u0088news channel last night, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Shiv Pratap Shukla, Virendra Kumar, Anant Kumar Hegde, Raj Kumar Singh, Hardeep Singh Puri, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Satya Pal Singh and Alphons Kannanthanam are likely to take oath.

Earlier, sources had said PM Modi was "very happy" with Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and may consider him for the railway ministry profile. Gadkari, however, refused to comment and said it was the PM's prerogative to induct or drop ministers in the reshuffle.

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