NEW DELHI: Some of the key ministers heading various economic ministries such as Commerce, Aviation, Tourism and Telecom have missed out on getting a berth in the new Modi government.
Suresh Prabhu who held the commerce portfolio and additional charge of civil aviation has not been inducted in the new cabinet. His junior in the Civil Aviation Ministry Jayant Sinha has also been kept out.
While Arun Jaitley opted out of the Council of Ministers a day before the swearing-in citing serious health issues, Manoj Sinha has not been rewarded with any new ministerial assignment.
In spite of strong Modi wave in Uttar Pradesh, Sinha lost the election from Ghazipur. In the previous government, Sinha was Minister for Telecom (independent charge) and Minister of State for Railways.
Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete, a face of the party in the previous Modi government, has also not been accommodated. The Heavy Industries Minister, he had lost the election from Maharashtra.
The Tourism Ministry would also get a new face as K.J. Alphons lost his maiden Lok Sabha bid from Kerala’s Ernakulam.
After a landslide victory in the 17th Lok Sabha elections, Narendra Modi on Thursday took oath as Prime Minister for the second time. Over 50 ministers were also sworn-in at a grand ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
[source_without_link]IANS[/source_without_link]