2 Ex-Chief Ministers Rewarded: SS Chouhan Gets Agriculture, MLKhattar Power
NDTV
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn in on Sunday evening for a record third time with a cabinet of 71 ministers, including 30 of cabinet rank.
As the Modi 3.0 government revealed portfolio allocations - a hotly-contested and closely-watched exercise given expectations from the BJP's National Democratic Allies - there was good news for two veterans from the saffron party. Ex-Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar, 70, and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Chouhan, 65, found space in the cabinet.
Mr Khattar, who won the Karnal Lok Sabha seat, has been given dual charge of the high-profile Power and Housing ministries. Mr Chouhan, who returned to claim the Vidisha seat he held for five consecutive elections between 1991 and 2004, is the Agriculture Minister.
The allocations have been seen as rewards for the two senior leaders after being stood down from the chief minister's post in their respective states.