Narendra Modi, chief minister of Gujarat today added six new ministers in his cabinet taking the ministry strength to 27.
Those who were inducted into the ministry include, Liladharbhai Khodaji Vaghela who got charge of labour and employment department, Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundari got rural development, Jaydrathsinhji Chandrasinhji Parmar will be in charge of roads & buildings, Jitendra Ratilal Sukhadia got tourism, non-resident Gujaratis, food, civil supplies & consumers, Ishwarsinh Thakorbhai Patel got cooperation, sports, youth and cultural affairs, and Ranjitbhai Mangubhai Gilitwala got cottage industries, salt industries, printing and stationery (Independent Charge), planning, transport. Governor Kamla administered the oath of office to the new ministers at a function held at Raj Bhavan here. Sukhadia is from Vadodara, Jaydrathsinh Parmar from Halol and Ishwarbhai Patel from Ankleshwar. All the three places in the central Gujarat region are considered as a stronghold of Congress.
The chief minister also re-allocated portfolios of three ministers of state. Saurabh Patel, who was previously in charge of Civil Aviation, Cottage Industries, Salt Industries, Printing & Stationery (Independent Charge), Industries, Mines, Minerals, Finance, Energy and Petrochemicals will now look after all the other portfolios apart from salt industries and printing & stationery. Jaswantsinh S Bhabhor will take charge of panchayat and rural housing apart from tribal development. He had labour & employment, tribal development, rural development earlier. Parbatbhai S Patel will no longer look after cooperation department. He will continue to be in charge of water supply, health and family welfare.
According to experts, the cabinet expansion has been done with an eye on the state Assembly elections, due in 2012. Kundaria is an MLA from Saurashtra belonging to powerful Patel community. To give a better representation to south Gujarat, Ranjit Gilitwala was also taken in. While Vaghela represents north Gujarat.This is seen as a last expansion of the Modi government before the Assembly elections.
It is the second expansion of the Modi's cabinet in the last five months. Before the crucial local self governing bodies elections, Modi had expanded his cabinet on August 21 and inducted four ministers, taking its strength to 21. Party sources said Modi is also likely to appoint leaders to the post of state boards and corporations soon.