Modi’s power squad: Top ministers retained, new faces in key roles

PM Modi keeps Shah, Rajnath, Sitharaman, and Jaishankar in top ministries; new entrants take agriculture, health, and more

Modi’s power squad: Top ministers retained, new faces in key roles

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the first meeting of his new Cabinet. pic/PTI

Signalling continuity, PM Narendra Modi on Monday retained Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman and S Jaishankar in charge of the four high-profile ministries — Home, Defence, Finance and External Affairs — respectively in his new government. The four ministers in charge of these portfolios make up crucial Cabinet Committee on Security headed by the PM.

Among new entrants to the Union Cabinet, former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan has got Agriculture and Rural Development Ministries, while BJP president J P Nadda has returned to the Health Ministry, a portfolio he had held in the Modi government’s first term before becoming the working president of the BJP.

Credited with boosting the highway network across the country, Nitin Gadkari has retained the charge of the Road Transport and Highways Ministry. Former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has been allocated Housing and Urban Affairs, and Power Ministries. Ashwini Vaishnaw, a rising star in the government who was in charge of crucial Railways, and Electronics and Information Technology ministries, has not only retained these portfolios but has also been given the important Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Dharmendra Pradhan and Piyush Goyal will also continue to be in charge of the Education, and Commerce and Industry ministries respectively. Hardeep Singh Puri has retained the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry but has shed the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.

JD(Secular)’s H D Kumaraswamy has been assigned the Heavy Industries and Steel ministries. Jitan Ram Manjhi from HAM-Secular will oversee the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Ministry. Lalan Singh of Janata Dal-United has been entrusted with the Panchayati Raj, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Ministries. Additionally, TDP’s K Rammohan Naidu will head the Civil Aviation Ministry, while Chirag Paswan, leader of LJP (Ram Vilas), has been given charge of the Food Processing Industries Ministry.