PM Modi's Core Team: Old Guards Rajnath, Sitharaman, Gadkari Hold Portfolios Amid Major Cabinet Overhaul

Some BJP stalwarts managed to hold on to their positions amid the resignation binge which usually does not take takes place in the run-up to a Cabinet reshuffle.

(File Photos/ Getty)

Modi Cabinet Reshuffle: Even as Modi government 2.0, in its first-ever cabinet expansion, inducted 43 new ministers on Wednesday, there are some old guards who have retained their portfolios in the massive overhaul. Soon after Union Ministers and Ministers of State (MoS) took oath at Delhi's Darbar Hall, Centre announced portfolios of the leaders with some significant reshuffle.

The day witnessed resignations of as many as seven cabinet heavyweights in one fell swoop. The hotbed rejigs in the Narendra Modi cabinet led to the axing of several veteran ministers holding key portfolios.

Meanwhile, what was noteworthy was the fact that some stalwart Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders managed to hold on to their positions amid the resignation binge which usually does not take takes place in the run-up to a Cabinet reshuffle.

 The second-in-command of the saffron party, Amit Shah continues to be the Union Home Minister along with an additional charge of the newly formed Ministry of Co-Operation.

Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh was one such minister who managed to retain his position as Union Defence Minister in Modi 2.0 cabinet. Another veteran from the saffron party who held his position as Minister of Road Transport and Highways was Nitin Gadkari.

Even Nirmala Sitharaman continues to be Union Finance Minister and has even been assigned additional charge of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.  

Despite massive protests by farmers across the country over the new Agri laws, Narendra Singh Tomar continues to be Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. 

Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has also retained the External Affairs Ministry and Arjun Munda continues as Minister of Tribal Affairs.

Cabinet Heavyweights Sacked Before Reshuffle

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan was one of the top names in the line of fire reportedly because of the perceived mismanagement of the Covid second wave which devasted India costing millions of lives.

Among the senior ministers, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank', Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, and Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar were also asked to resign from their ministries.

Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and I&B and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar have also put in their papers.

A total of 12 ministers have resigned from the Modi government and President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted their resignations