New Delhi [India], June 10 (ANI): The Narendra Modi government has allocated Cabinet berths to two of its allies in the south and one to its Telangana party chief. Notably, the government has allotted Minister of State roles to two of its party leaders from Kerala, where the Bharatiya Janata Party registered its first electoral win.
While Janata Dal (Secular) chief and former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has been allocated charge of Minister of Heavy Industries and Minister of Steel, Telugu Desam Party’s Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu has been appointed Minister of Civil Aviation.
Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president and Secunderabad MP G Kishan Reddy has been given the charge of Minister of Coal and and Minister of Mines.
In addition to these, eight MPs from south India have been made Minister of State in different departments in the Narendra Modi 3.0 government. Out of the 36 Ministers of States, two are from Kerala, two from Karnataka, two from Andhra Pradesh and one each from Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Kerala movie star turned politician Suresh Gopi, who registered BJP’s historic win from Kerala’s Thrissur was made Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism.
In a move apparently to expand its footprint in Kerala, George Kurian has been appointed as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Kurian is the BJP’s General Secretary from Kerala.
BJP MP V Somanna who was elected from Karnataka’s Tumkur Lok Sabha seat by defeating Congress’ SP Muddahanumegowda has been allocated the charge of Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways.
BJP MP Shobha Karandlaje, who won from Bengaluru North by defeating Congress’ M.V. Rajeev Gowda was allocated Minister of State as Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Somanna who lost from both his seats in the Legislative Assembly elections from Karnataka defeated Muddahanumegowda by a margin of 175594 votes.
TDP MP Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, who is also claimed to be one of the richest candidates who contested the Lok Sabha polls, has been made Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development and Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications. Pemmasani won from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur defeating Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party’s Kilari Venkata Rosaiah by a margin of 344695 votes.
BJP MP Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma who won from Andhra Pradesh’s Narsapuram has been appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel. Varma rose from Councillor in the Bhimavaram municipality to a Minister in Narendra Modi’s cabinet.
Former Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar under whose command the party expanded its presence in the state, got the portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The firebrand leader from Telangana won from Karimnagar defeating Congress’ Velchala Rajender Rao with a margin of 225209 seats.
L Murugan who lost the election to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s A Raja was appointed as Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. Murugan was the Telangana BJP state president and was the Dalit face in the state. (ANI)
