Modi's Cabinet reshuffle springs many surprises; Sitharaman, Goyal biggest gainers

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet reshuffle on Sunday has sprung many surprises, which saw rijig of portfolios of 32 ministers, with Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal emerging as the biggest gainers, as they bag the heavyweight Defence and Railways portfolios respectively.

Sitharaman, who was holding the Commerce portfolio (Independent charge), was promoted to the Cabinet rank as were Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

Sitharaman now is set to become India's first full-time woman Defence Minister. Previously, then prime minister Indira Gandhi had held the portfolio twice but as additional charge in 1975 and from 1980 to 1982.

Goyal replaced Suresh Prabhu who had earlier offered to resign as Railway Minister after a series of derailments.

Prabhu has been shifted to commerce and industry ministry.

Another gainer in the latest round of reshuffle was Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, who was given the additional charge of the water resources, Ganga river development and rejuvenation, which was with Uma Bharti.

Bharati has been shifted to Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavrdhan Rathore too gained after the rejig and got the Sports portfolio (independent charge).

Santosh Kumar Gangwar too gained and got the Labour and Employment Ministry with independent charge. He was serving as the MoS finance.

Among others, Giriraj Singh got the Independent charge of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. He was serving as the MoS in the ministry.

Smriti Irani retained her Information and Broadcasting Ministry besides the Textiles Ministry. She was given the additional charge of Information and Broadcasting Ministry in July after M Venkaiah Naidu was named NDA's vice presidential candidate.

Cabinet minister Harsh Vardhan, who was given the additional charge of the Environment Ministry following the demise of Anil Dave in May, continues to hold the portfolio.

Vijay Goyal, who was stripped off the Sports portfolio, is seen as the loser in the reshuffle as he will now serve as the junior minister in Parliamentary Affairs and Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Mahesh Sharma has to give away the portfolio of tourism (independent). He retains the Culture Ministry (independent charge) and will also work as the Minister of State of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

(With agency inputs)