In New
Delhi, a notable cabinet minister from Modi 2.0, despite securing his fifth Lok
Sabha election win, was not included in the new government. Contrarily, a
Congress defector who lost the election was sworn in as a minister yesterday.
These decisions are among the many unexpected choices in the Modi 3.0
government, which was inaugurated yesterday.
Notable
Exclusions and Inclusions in Modi 3.0
Anurag
Thakur, a prominent figure in the second Modi government and victorious from
his stronghold Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, was unexpectedly excluded this
time. Initially appointed as a minister of state post-2019 elections, Thakur
was elevated to cabinet rank in 2021, managing the Information and Broadcasting
portfolio. However, despite another electoral win, he was overlooked. Sources
within the BJP suggest that reinstating party chief JP Nadda from Himachal cost
Thakur his ministerial role, as the leadership opted not to have two ministers
from the same state.
In a
surprising move, Ravneet Singh Bittu, a two-term MP from Punjab and former
Congress leader in Lok Sabha who switched to the BJP shortly before the
election, was appointed as a minister despite losing to Congress's Amrinder
Raja Singh Warring. Bittu, the grandson of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant
Singh, took the oath yesterday. He now needs to secure a seat in either the Lok
Sabha or Rajya Sabha within six months. His appointment signals the BJP’s
intention to strengthen its position in AAP-ruled Punjab through a prominent
Sikh leader.
George
Kurien, the BJP's general secretary in Kerala, was also appointed as a minister
despite not being a member of any House. A long-standing party member and
lawyer, Kurien has served in various significant roles, including as
vice-president of the National Minorities Commission. His ministerial role
underscores the BJP’s ongoing efforts to expand its influence in southern India
and among Kerala’s Christian community.
Ravi Shankar
Prasad and Rajiv Pratap Rudy, both veteran BJP leaders and former Union
ministers, were notable exclusions. Despite Prasad’s win in Patna Sahib and
Rudy’s three consecutive victories in Saran, neither secured a ministerial
post. Modi 3.0 has eight ministers from Bihar, but these two long-serving
leaders were not among them.
L Murugan,
the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief, retained his ministerial role despite losing
the Nilgiris election. Unlike former ministers Smriti Irani and Rajeev
Chandrasekhar, who were not reappointed after their electoral defeats, Murugan,
a Rajya Sabha member, took the oath again. He previously oversaw portfolios
like fisheries, animal husbandry, dairying, and information and broadcasting.
Veteran
leader Parshottam Rupala, despite a significant victory in Gujarat’s Rajkot
seat and serving as a minister in both Modi’s first and second terms, was
excluded from Modi 3.0. His controversial remarks on Kshatriyas before the
elections caused a political stir, impacting his inclusion despite his win.
Finally,
Narayan Rane, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and previous minister for
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, was also excluded. Despite winning the
Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg seat, Rane, a former Shiv Sena and Congress leader who
joined the BJP in 2019, did not secure a ministerial position in Modi 3.0.