News Mania Desk/ Agnibeena Ghosh/11th June 2024
In a historic event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath for his third consecutive term today, unveiling his new cabinet, referred to as “Modi 3.0.” This new formation includes a mix of seasoned leaders and fresh faces, with 72 ministers inducted into the council. However, notable absentees from this lineup have caught the public’s attention, as several heavyweight ministers from the previous cabinet have been dropped.
Among the most prominent names excluded are Smriti Irani, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, and Anurag Singh Thakur. Smriti Irani, who previously held the portfolios of Minister of Women and Child Development and Minister of Minority Affairs, faced a significant setback. She lost her Lok Sabha seat from Amethi to KL Sharma of the Congress, contributing to her exclusion from the new cabinet.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who served as the Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology from July 2021 to June 2024, also found himself out of favor. His unsuccessful attempt to win a seat from Thiruvananthapuram against Shashi Tharoor likely influenced this decision. Similarly, Anurag Singh Thakur, a five-time MP from Himachal’s Hamirpur, who held the dual portfolios of Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, has not been included in the Modi 3.0 cabinet.
Other significant leaders missing from the new lineup include Nisith Pramanik, Ajay Mishra Teni, Bharti Pawar, Ashwini Choubey, Bhagwat Karat, and Arjun Munda. Pramanik, who was the Minister of State for Home Affairs, lost the elections to TMC’s Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia in Cooch Behar, North Bengal.
Ajay Mishra Teni, who faced controversy over the violence during farmers’ protests in Lakhimpur Kheri, also failed to secure a cabinet position. He lost his Lok Sabha seat to Utkarsh Verma of the Samajwadi Party. Teni served as Minister of State for Home Affairs in the previous cabinet.
Arjun Munda, a key tribal leader and former Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, along with Tribal Affairs, replaced Narendra Singh Tomar as agriculture minister in December 2023. Despite his significant contributions, Munda lost the general elections from Khunti to Congress leader Kali Charan Munda, leading to his exclusion.
The new cabinet, however, retains influential leaders such as Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, S. Jaishankar, Nitin Gadkari, and Ashwini Vaishnaw, ensuring experienced leadership continues to guide key ministries.
The reshuffle reflects a strategic move by Prime Minister Modi to bring fresh energy into his administration while addressing electoral outcomes and controversies that influenced the performance of previous ministers. The absence of notable figures like Irani, Chandrasekhar, and Thakur marks a significant shift in the BJP’s approach as it adapts to the changing political landscape and prepares for future challenges.
This reshuffle is seen as an attempt to rejuvenate the government’s image and inject new momentum into its initiatives, as Modi’s administration embarks on its third term with renewed focus and strategic priorities.
