Saudi Arabia announced another cabinet reshuffle&nbsp;Saturday&nbsp;with a heavy focus on culture and religion, as the kingdom undergoes a major image rehaul.&nbsp;

This is the second significant government change since the appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, son of the king, as heir to the region's most powerful throne. Prince Mohammed serves as deputy prime minister under his father, King Salman.&nbsp;

State news agency SPA announced King Salman had replaced the country's labour, Islamic affairs and culture ministers.&nbsp;

The kingdom also announced it had set up a royal commission for the holy city of Mecca, which is expected to welcome millions of Muslim pilgrims for the annual hajj in August, to be chaired by Prince Mohammed.&nbsp;

The powerful Prince Mohammed has consolidated his grip on power since sidelining his cousin as crown prince last June.&nbsp;

He has since spearheaded a string of policy changes in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia, including reinstating cinemas and allowing women to drive.&nbsp;

He was also seen as the driving force behind the detention of 200 royals and businessmen at the Ritz Carlton in November in what the government said was a crackdown on corruption. Most have since been released, after reaching settlements with the state.

On Friday, the crown prince earned a harsh warning from Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the jihadist group's Yemen branch, over his "sinful projects", which AQAP said included a WWE wrestling event hosted by the kingdom in April.&nbsp;

State news agency SPA announced King Salman had replaced the country's labour, Islamic affairs and culture ministers

Saudi Arabia announced another cabinet reshuffle Saturday with a heavy focus on culture and religion, as the kingdom undergoes a major image rehaul. This is the second significant government change since the appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, son of the king, as heir to the region's most powerful throne. Prince Mohammed serves as deputy prime minister under his father, King Salman. State news agency SPA announced King Salman had replaced the country's labour, Islamic affairs and culture ministers. The kingdom also announced it had set up a royal commission for the holy city of Mecca, which is expected to welcome millions of Muslim pilgrims for the annual hajj in August, to be chaired by Prince Mohammed. The powerful Prince Mohammed has consolidated his grip on power since sidelining his cousin as crown prince last June. He has since spearheaded a string of policy changes in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia, including reinstating cinemas and allowing women to drive. He was also seen as the driving force behind the detention of 200 royals and businessmen at the Ritz Carlton in November in what the government said was a crackdown on corruption. Most have since been released, after reaching settlements with the state. On Friday, the crown prince earned a harsh warning from Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the jihadist group's Yemen branch, over his "sinful projects", which AQAP said included a WWE wrestling event hosted by the kingdom in April.

Saudi Arabia reshuffles cabinet with eye on culture

Cabinet reshuffle is an exercise which is carried out in secrecy but when announced, conveys a loud message. The same has happened today.

While the charge of finance ministry has been given to Piyush Goyal, who has won accolades during his tenure as power minister, the biggest shock is sidelining of Smriti Irani, again. Irani has been moved back to the textiles ministry, from the high profile Information and Broadcasting ministry.

The message is clear from Prime Minister Narendra Modi - silent workers are welcome and controversy making ministers are not. Smriti Irani was first sidelined in the year 2016 after the Rohith Vemula controversy. Prime Minister had to make a special effort to counter the charge of the Opposition that NDA is not anti-Dalit. She kept her low profile and was given a second chance by the Prime Minister in July 2017 when she was appointed as the I&B minister.

Irani was again in news recently&nbsp;for the wrong reason. Irani had come under attack earlier this month after I&B Ministry amended guidelines on accreditation of journalists for, what it said, to check fake news.&nbsp;The amended guidelines had stated that a journalist or a publication could lose accreditation in the event of a confirmed incident of fake news. The guidelines were withdrawn following a directive to do so by the PMO.

The controversy impacted the office of the President. It was followed by the issue related to the freedom of press on which the PM had to intervene. These two incidents were the final nails in the coffin.

This decision also needs to be seen in the context of the rise and rise of the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman whose quiet work and ability to keep the government away from controversy led to her elevation as the top 5 ministers in the country. Her failure to rally the press and get along with all the constituents added to this.

The inclusion of SS Ahluwalia is seen as an adjustment. He is close to Sushma Swaraj and was a leading light during LK Advani’s tenure as the Deputy Prime Minister (2002-2004). This move is a clear indication that patience and silence can be more rewarding with Modi.

The real beneficiary has been Rajyavardhan Rathore. He already heads the Sports Ministry, and now has also been given independent charge of I&B Ministry. He is already the spokesperson for the government of India.

The reshuffle may be small and limited but the message is loud and clear. Ministers who create controversies at the expense of the government will not be tolerated. Smriti Irani is a case in example. She lost two ministries because of being outspoken. What keeps her alive is probably Amethi where she is pitched against Rahul Gandhi. She has not left the constituency and wants to ensure that BJP can defeat Congress in its own bastion.

The message is clear from the Prime Minister. Silent workers are welcome and controversy making ministers are not

Cabinet reshuffle is an exercise which is carried out in secrecy but when announced, conveys a loud message. The same has happened today. While the charge of finance ministry has been given to Piyush Goyal, who has won accolades during his tenure as power minister, the biggest shock is sidelining of Smriti Irani, again. Irani has been moved back to the textiles ministry, from the high profile Information and Broadcasting ministry. The message is clear from Prime Minister Narendra Modi - silent workers are welcome and controversy making ministers are not. Smriti Irani was first sidelined in the year 2016 after the Rohith Vemula controversy. Prime Minister had to make a special effort to counter the charge of the Opposition that NDA is not anti-Dalit. She kept her low profile and was given a second chance by the Prime Minister in July 2017 when she was appointed as the I&B minister. Irani was again in news recently for the wrong reason. Irani had come under attack earlier this month after I&B Ministry amended guidelines on accreditation of journalists for, what it said, to check fake news. The amended guidelines had stated that a journalist or a publication could lose accreditation in the event of a confirmed incident of fake news. The guidelines were withdrawn following a directive to do so by the PMO. The controversy impacted the office of the President. It was followed by the issue related to the freedom of press on which the PM had to intervene. These two incidents were the final nails in the coffin. This decision also needs to be seen in the context of the rise and rise of the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman whose quiet work and ability to keep the government away from controversy led to her elevation as the top 5 ministers in the country. Her failure to rally the press and get along with all the constituents added to this. The inclusion of SS Ahluwalia is seen as an adjustment. He is close to Sushma Swaraj and was a leading light during LK Advani’s tenure as the Deputy Prime Minister (2002-2004). This move is a clear indication that patience and silence can be more rewarding with Modi. The real beneficiary has been Rajyavardhan Rathore. He already heads the Sports Ministry, and now has also been given independent charge of I&B Ministry. He is already the spokesperson for the government of India. The reshuffle may be small and limited but the message is loud and clear. Ministers who create controversies at the expense of the government will not be tolerated. Smriti Irani is a case in example. She lost two ministries because of being outspoken. What keeps her alive is probably Amethi where she is pitched against Rahul Gandhi. She has not left the constituency and wants to ensure that BJP can defeat Congress in its own bastion.

Opinion: PM Modi shows way, reshuffles cabinet, sidelines Smriti Irani again

According to reports, the central government carried out a cabinet reshuffle on Monday wherein Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore was allotted the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. Rathore will continue to retain the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

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Piyush Goyal given additional charge of Finance Ministry till Arun Jaitley recovers, Rajyavardhan Rathore new Information & Broadcasting Minister. <a href="https://t.co/Rv1HH7cJiN">pic.twitter.com/Rv1HH7cJiN</a>
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Smriti Irani will retain the Textiles Ministry.

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal will look after the Finance Ministry until Arun Jaitley's recovers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"During the period of the indisposition of Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister; the portfolios of Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs held by him, be temporarily assigned to Shri Piyush Goyal, in addition to his existing portfolios," read the official release.

SS Ahluwalia will be relieved of the charge of Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation. He has now been assigned the Ministry of State, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology.

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SS Ahluwalia assigned the portfolio of MoS in Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, relieved of his charges of MoS in Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation. Alphons Kannanthanam relieved of charge of MoS in Ministry of Electrionics and Information Technology. <a href="https://t.co/PqI5ovpemw">pic.twitter.com/PqI5ovpemw</a>
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Minister of State, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, KJ Alphons, will now look after the Tourism Ministry.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday underwent a successful kidney transplant at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), an official at the premier health institute said.

Jaitley, 65, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday and taken to the operation theatre at 8 am today.

The minister, suffering from a kidney ailment, has been undergoing dialysis for the last one month.

Smriti Irani will retain Textiles Ministry. Piyush Goyal will temporarily look after the Finance Ministry until Arun Jaitley's recovers

According to reports, the central government carried out a cabinet reshuffle on Monday wherein Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore was allotted the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. Rathore will continue to retain the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Piyush Goyal given additional charge of Finance Ministry till Arun Jaitley recovers, Rajyavardhan Rathore new Information & Broadcasting Minister. pic.twitter.com/Rv1HH7cJiN — ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2018 × Smriti Irani will retain the Textiles Ministry. Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal will look after the Finance Ministry until Arun Jaitley's recovers. "During the period of the indisposition of Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister; the portfolios of Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs held by him, be temporarily assigned to Shri Piyush Goyal, in addition to his existing portfolios," read the official release. SS Ahluwalia will be relieved of the charge of Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation. He has now been assigned the Ministry of State, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. SS Ahluwalia assigned the portfolio of MoS in Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, relieved of his charges of MoS in Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation. Alphons Kannanthanam relieved of charge of MoS in Ministry of Electrionics and Information Technology. pic.twitter.com/PqI5ovpemw — ANI (@ANI) May 14, 2018 × Minister of State, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, KJ Alphons, will now look after the Tourism Ministry. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday underwent a successful kidney transplant at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), an official at the premier health institute said. Jaitley, 65, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday and taken to the operation theatre at 8 am today. The minister, suffering from a kidney ailment, has been undergoing dialysis for the last one month.

Smriti Irani out, Rajyavardhan Rathore gets I&B ministry in cabinet reshuffle

The People`s Democratic Party(PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir is all set for a cabinet reshuffle the state cabinet on Monday noon.

The much-awaited reshuffle likely to see some new faces from the BJP.

The BJP had asked all its nine ministers to resign on April 17 to enable the party to bring in new faces.A day before the reshuffle, Nirmal Singh resigned as Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to sources, Singh will now be made a speaker.BJP leader Kavinder Gupta will take over as the new Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

BJP`s new ministers Rajiv Jasrotia, Shakti Parihar, Sat Sharma, Kavinder Gupta, Mohd Khalil Band, Mod Ashraf Mir and others will take the oath.

The Mehbooba Mufti-led government can have a maximum of 25 ministers, including the chief minister, out of which 14 portfolios are with the PDP and the remaining with the BJP.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The BJP is expected to bring in some new faces in the much-awaited reshuffle in the Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir government.

The People`s Democratic Party(PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir is all set for a cabinet reshuffle the state cabinet on Monday noon. The much-awaited reshuffle likely to see some new faces from the BJP. The BJP had asked all its nine ministers to resign on April 17 to enable the party to bring in new faces.A day before the reshuffle, Nirmal Singh resigned as Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. According to sources, Singh will now be made a speaker.BJP leader Kavinder Gupta will take over as the new Deputy Chief Minister of the state. BJP`s new ministers Rajiv Jasrotia, Shakti Parihar, Sat Sharma, Kavinder Gupta, Mohd Khalil Band, Mod Ashraf Mir and others will take the oath. The Mehbooba Mufti-led government can have a maximum of 25 ministers, including the chief minister, out of which 14 portfolios are with the PDP and the remaining with the BJP.

Jammu and Kashmir cabinet reshuffle today

In a major Cabinet reshuffle in Jammu and Kashmir, Assembly speaker Kavinder Gupta and seven others were today sworn in as ministers in the state's PDP-BJP government led by Mehbooba Mufti.

Gupta will be the new deputy chief minister in place of Nirmal Singh, who submitted his resignation last night, officials said.

The new BJP faces sworn in as ministers were the party's state unit chief Satpal Sharma and the MLAs from Kathua and adjoining Sambha, Rajiv Jasrotia and Devinder Kumar Manyal, respectively.&nbsp;

The BJP also upgraded Sunil Sharma, at present minister of state for transport, to the rank of a cabinet minister. BJP MLA from Doda Shakti Raj took oath as a minister of state.&nbsp;

The PDP members included in the cabinet were Mohd Khalil Band, MLA from Pulwama, and Mohd Ashraf Mir, MLA from Sonwar.

BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav and Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh attended the event.

The function was held at the convention centre instead of Raj Bhavan as the Jammu and Kashmir government has already shifted its base to summer capital Srinagar, part of the bi-annual darbar move under which the government functions for six months in Jammu and six months in Srinagar.&nbsp;

Earlier BJP's Ram Madhav said that cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with the Kathua incident.

''The cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with the Kathua incident. Our government has completed three years and we decided to give a chance to new faces. 5 members of the party will be sworn-in as ministers today,'' Madhav said.

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The cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with the Kathua incident. Our government has completed three years and we decided to give a chance to new faces. 5 members of the party will be sworn-in as ministers today: Ram Madhav, BJP on cabinet reshuffle in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a> <a href="https://t.co/hKsIq40zhv">pic.twitter.com/hKsIq40zhv</a>
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&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)&nbsp;

Gupta will be the new deputy chief minister in place of Nirmal Singh, who submitted his resignation last night, officials said.

In a major Cabinet reshuffle in Jammu and Kashmir, Assembly speaker Kavinder Gupta and seven others were today sworn in as ministers in the state's PDP-BJP government led by Mehbooba Mufti. Gupta will be the new deputy chief minister in place of Nirmal Singh, who submitted his resignation last night, officials said. The new BJP faces sworn in as ministers were the party's state unit chief Satpal Sharma and the MLAs from Kathua and adjoining Sambha, Rajiv Jasrotia and Devinder Kumar Manyal, respectively. The BJP also upgraded Sunil Sharma, at present minister of state for transport, to the rank of a cabinet minister. BJP MLA from Doda Shakti Raj took oath as a minister of state. The PDP members included in the cabinet were Mohd Khalil Band, MLA from Pulwama, and Mohd Ashraf Mir, MLA from Sonwar. BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav and Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh attended the event. The function was held at the convention centre instead of Raj Bhavan as the Jammu and Kashmir government has already shifted its base to summer capital Srinagar, part of the bi-annual darbar move under which the government functions for six months in Jammu and six months in Srinagar. Earlier BJP's Ram Madhav said that cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with the Kathua incident. ''The cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with the Kathua incident. Our government has completed three years and we decided to give a chance to new faces. 5 members of the party will be sworn-in as ministers today,'' Madhav said. The cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with the Kathua incident. Our government has completed three years and we decided to give a chance to new faces. 5 members of the party will be sworn-in as ministers today: Ram Madhav, BJP on cabinet reshuffle in #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/hKsIq40zhv — ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2018 × (With PTI inputs)

J&K cabinet reshuffle: Deputy CM Kavinder Gupta, seven others take oath

Jammu and Kashmir's state cabinet will undergo a reshuffle on Monday. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh noted on Saturday that the PDP-BJP alliance government will undertake a cabinet reshuffle on April 30.

According to Singh, the reshuffle would see the induction of some new ministers.

"The oath ceremony will take place at 12 noon on April 30," Singh noted.

The list of the inductees is yet to be finalised, shared Singh.

As per reports, a couple of ministers of state (MosS) may get elevated to the Cabinet rank.

The BJP's state cadre had held a meeting with party's top officials in New Delhi last Sunday to discuss and finalise new inductees and to assess the performance of the current state ministers.

On April 17, nine state ministers from Jammu and Kashmir were asked to step down to enable the party to bring in new faces in the Mufti cabinet.

The BJP has been experiencing pressure mounting over its ministers, Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Gangam, who allegedly supported the accused in the Kathua rape and murder case.&nbsp;

Currently, the BJP has six cabinet ministers, including associate member Sajad Lone, and three MoS.

The J&K cabinet can have a maximum of 25 ministers, including the chief minister. While 14 portfolios rest with the PDP, the BJP holds the remaining.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Currently, the BJP has six cabinet ministers, including associate member Sajad Lone, and three MoS

Jammu and Kashmir's state cabinet will undergo a reshuffle on Monday. Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh noted on Saturday that the PDP-BJP alliance government will undertake a cabinet reshuffle on April 30. According to Singh, the reshuffle would see the induction of some new ministers. "The oath ceremony will take place at 12 noon on April 30," Singh noted. The list of the inductees is yet to be finalised, shared Singh. As per reports, a couple of ministers of state (MosS) may get elevated to the Cabinet rank. The BJP's state cadre had held a meeting with party's top officials in New Delhi last Sunday to discuss and finalise new inductees and to assess the performance of the current state ministers. On April 17, nine state ministers from Jammu and Kashmir were asked to step down to enable the party to bring in new faces in the Mufti cabinet. The BJP has been experiencing pressure mounting over its ministers, Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Gangam, who allegedly supported the accused in the Kathua rape and murder case. Currently, the BJP has six cabinet ministers, including associate member Sajad Lone, and three MoS. The J&K cabinet can have a maximum of 25 ministers, including the chief minister. While 14 portfolios rest with the PDP, the BJP holds the remaining. (With inputs from PTI)

J&K cabinet reshuffle on Monday: Deputy Chief Minister

British Prime Minister Theresa May&#39;s long-awaited government reshuffle Monday was branded ineffectual and shambolic after she promoted few fresh faces to her top team and a minister resigned rather than accept a new post.

Education Secretary Justine Greening became the fourth minister to leave the Cabinet since November, after resisting a request to move to the welfare and pensions ministry.

Meanwhile, health minister Jeremy Hunt convinced May at the last minute to scrap plans to move him to the business department, according to media reports.&nbsp;

Most of her senior ministers also kept their jobs in the reshuffle, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Brexit minister David Davis and finance minister Philip Hammond.

The prime minister carried out what her office called a &quot;refresh&quot; of the government after sacking her deputy Damian Green last month in a row over pornography found on his computer in 2008.

His departure followed those of the defence and aid ministers in unrelated scandals the previous month.

May hoped the shakeup would help her reassert authority ahead of crunch Brexit negotiations this year, and following a torrid 2017 in which she lost her parliamentary majority in a snap election last summer.

An interim deal on Brexit in December appeared to give her new impetus, and the much-anticipated reshuffle was arranged.

But the day began in a farcical fashion when her Conservative party announced a new chairman on Twitter, only to delete the tweet and later name another lawmaker for the post.

&quot;No wonder Theresa May&#39;s struggling to negotiate Brexit -- she can&#39;t even organise a reshuffle,&quot; opposition Labour MP Stephen Kinnock swiftly tweeted.

Following Hunt&#39;s reported refusal to move and Greening&#39;s resignation later Monday, Britain&#39;s newspapers were quick to lambast May&#39;s reboot.

The Times&#39;&nbsp;front page called the reshuffle &quot;shambolic&quot; while The Daily Telegraph declared it the &quot;night of the blunt stiletto&quot;.&nbsp;

Some Conservative lawmakers appeared to agree, with Tory grandee Nicholas Soames tweeting: &quot;I don&#39;t mean to be rude or to be seen to be disloyal but there needs to be a major improvement to the reshuffle tomorrow.&quot;

May is expected to announce a reshuffle of her lower government ranks on Tuesday. Greening&#39;s resignation is likely to be viewed as a challenge to the prime minister&#39;s already fragile authority.

She was offered the welfare ministry &quot;but declined to take it,&quot; a Downing Street source said.

&quot;The prime minister is disappointed but respects her decision to leave the government&quot;, the source added.

For her part, Greening said in a tweet that educational issues like social mobility matter &quot;more than my ministerial career&quot;, and vowed to continue to work for young people as a member of parliament.

May&#39;s room for manoeuvre is limited by heading a minority government and the need to maintain a delicate Cabinet balance of eurosceptic and pro-European ministers as major Brexit decisions loom.

After starting the two-year withdrawal process in March last year, Britain struck a deal in December on the financial settlement with Brussels, as well as on expatriate rights and the Irish border.

Negotiations on a transition deal begin this month, while the toughest talks, on Britain&#39;s future relationship with the EU including trade, are set to start in March.

Johnson, a leading Brexit supporter, kept his job at the foreign office, despite challenging May&#39;s strategy last year, as did fellow eurosceptic Liam Fox, the international trade minister.

Finance minister Hammond and interior minister Amber Rudd, who campaigned to stay in the EU, continue as before.

Former justice secretary David Lidington took over the policy coordination role previously held by Green but did not inherit the title of May&#39;s deputy.

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire, who failed to secure a deal to restore the power-sharing government in Belfast after it collapsed a year ago, stepped down for health reasons Monday and has been replaced by culture minister Karen Bradley.

The former Conservative party chairman, Patrick McLoughlin, lost his job after the disastrous snap election.

It was one of several low points last year for the prime minister, who took office in July 2016 after the referendum on leaving the EU and began her tenure strongly with a bold Cabinet reshuffle.

Education Secretary Justine Greening became the fourth minister to leave the Cabinet since November

British Prime Minister Theresa May's long-awaited government reshuffle Monday was branded ineffectual and shambolic after she promoted few fresh faces to her top team and a minister resigned rather than accept a new post. Education Secretary Justine Greening became the fourth minister to leave the Cabinet since November, after resisting a request to move to the welfare and pensions ministry. Meanwhile, health minister Jeremy Hunt convinced May at the last minute to scrap plans to move him to the business department, according to media reports. Most of her senior ministers also kept their jobs in the reshuffle, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Brexit minister David Davis and finance minister Philip Hammond. The prime minister carried out what her office called a "refresh" of the government after sacking her deputy Damian Green last month in a row over pornography found on his computer in 2008. His departure followed those of the defence and aid ministers in unrelated scandals the previous month. May hoped the shakeup would help her reassert authority ahead of crunch Brexit negotiations this year, and following a torrid 2017 in which she lost her parliamentary majority in a snap election last summer. An interim deal on Brexit in December appeared to give her new impetus, and the much-anticipated reshuffle was arranged. But the day began in a farcical fashion when her Conservative party announced a new chairman on Twitter, only to delete the tweet and later name another lawmaker for the post. "No wonder Theresa May's struggling to negotiate Brexit -- she can't even organise a reshuffle," opposition Labour MP Stephen Kinnock swiftly tweeted. Following Hunt's reported refusal to move and Greening's resignation later Monday, Britain's newspapers were quick to lambast May's reboot. The Times' front page called the reshuffle "shambolic" while The Daily Telegraph declared it the "night of the blunt stiletto". Some Conservative lawmakers appeared to agree, with Tory grandee Nicholas Soames tweeting: "I don't mean to be rude or to be seen to be disloyal but there needs to be a major improvement to the reshuffle tomorrow." May is expected to announce a reshuffle of her lower government ranks on Tuesday. Greening's resignation is likely to be viewed as a challenge to the prime minister's already fragile authority. She was offered the welfare ministry "but declined to take it," a Downing Street source said. "The prime minister is disappointed but respects her decision to leave the government", the source added. For her part, Greening said in a tweet that educational issues like social mobility matter "more than my ministerial career", and vowed to continue to work for young people as a member of parliament. May's room for manoeuvre is limited by heading a minority government and the need to maintain a delicate Cabinet balance of eurosceptic and pro-European ministers as major Brexit decisions loom. After starting the two-year withdrawal process in March last year, Britain struck a deal in December on the financial settlement with Brussels, as well as on expatriate rights and the Irish border. Negotiations on a transition deal begin this month, while the toughest talks, on Britain's future relationship with the EU including trade, are set to start in March. Johnson, a leading Brexit supporter, kept his job at the foreign office, despite challenging May's strategy last year, as did fellow eurosceptic Liam Fox, the international trade minister. Finance minister Hammond and interior minister Amber Rudd, who campaigned to stay in the EU, continue as before. Former justice secretary David Lidington took over the policy coordination role previously held by Green but did not inherit the title of May's deputy. Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire, who failed to secure a deal to restore the power-sharing government in Belfast after it collapsed a year ago, stepped down for health reasons Monday and has been replaced by culture minister Karen Bradley. The former Conservative party chairman, Patrick McLoughlin, lost his job after the disastrous snap election. It was one of several low points last year for the prime minister, who took office in July 2016 after the referendum on leaving the EU and began her tenure strongly with a bold Cabinet reshuffle.

British PM's cabinet reshuffle marred by resignation

The revamp of Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s council of ministers has four former bureaucrats who took oath as ministers in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The four bureaucrats are former home secretary R K Singh, Delhi&#39;s demolition man Alphons Kannanthanam who is known for removing encroachments during his stint as the Delhi Development Commissioner, former Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh and former diplomat Hardeep Puri who was India&#39;s permanent representative to the United Nations.

Nine new faces have&nbsp;been inducted in the council of ministers today along with four ministers who have been elevated to the Cabinet rank.

The reshuffle was on the cards as the Prime Minister wants his ministers to deliver on government&#39;s policies and schemes geared towards the building of a &quot;New India&quot;.

The allocation of portfolios is not clear as of now.&nbsp;

Three vacancies had come up in the Union council of ministers after M Venkaiah Naidu&#39;s elevation as the Vice-President of India, Manohar Parrikar&#39;s election as chief minister of Goa, and the death of Anil Dave.

Six ministers resigned from the council of ministers to make way for the new inductees.

Those who resigned are Kalraj Mishra, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Bandaru Dattatreya, Faggan Singh Kulaste, Sanjiv Balyan and Mahendra Nath Pandey.

The reshuffle comes in the final leg of Narendra Modi government's tenure

The revamp of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's council of ministers has four former bureaucrats who took oath as ministers in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The four bureaucrats are former home secretary R K Singh, Delhi's demolition man Alphons Kannanthanam who is known for removing encroachments during his stint as the Delhi Development Commissioner, former Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh and former diplomat Hardeep Puri who was India's permanent representative to the United Nations. Nine new faces have been inducted in the council of ministers today along with four ministers who have been elevated to the Cabinet rank. The reshuffle was on the cards as the Prime Minister wants his ministers to deliver on government's policies and schemes geared towards the building of a "New India". The allocation of portfolios is not clear as of now. Three vacancies had come up in the Union council of ministers after M Venkaiah Naidu's elevation as the Vice-President of India, Manohar Parrikar's election as chief minister of Goa, and the death of Anil Dave. Six ministers resigned from the council of ministers to make way for the new inductees. Those who resigned are Kalraj Mishra, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Bandaru Dattatreya, Faggan Singh Kulaste, Sanjiv Balyan and Mahendra Nath Pandey.

4 former bureaucrats among nine new faces inducted in PM Modi's council of ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP party chief Amit Shah will take the final call on which minister will be a part of the reshuffled council of ministers and who will be moved out on the basis of an excel sheet which rates their performance.

A reshuffle&nbsp;is expected on Sunday morning before PM Modi leaves for the BRICS summit in China.&nbsp;

The performance sheet, created by a senior BJP leader, rates the performance of every minister who is currently a part of the government, top government sources told Zee Media.

The column marked &#39;P and N&#39; in the excel sheet - placed in front of every minister&#39;s name - will be the deciding factor. &nbsp;&quot;P&quot; stands for &quot;Positive&quot; and &quot;N&quot; for &quot;Negative&quot;.

The ground level performance of ministers will be given weightage. Social media has not been included in the parameters, the sources told Zee Media.

The excel sheet has already been presented to PM Modi and Amit Shah, who has held several high-level meetings over the past few weeks over it, the report added.

Transport minister Nitin Gadkari may take over the Defence portfolio from Arun Jaitley.

Human Resource Development minister Prakash Javadekar is also likely to get a bigger portfolio or additional charges.

Eight ministers have quit before the Cabinet reshuffle and were reportedly asked to resign by Amit Shah.

Four junior ministers - Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Sanjiv Kumar Balyan, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahendra Nath Pandey - have resigned ahead of the rejig.

Two Cabinet ministers, Uma Bharti and Kalraj Mishra, have also offered to resign,&nbsp;BJP sources told PTI.&nbsp;

The performance sheet, created by a senior BJP leader, rates the performance of every minister who is currently part of the government, top government sources said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP party chief Amit Shah will take the final call on which minister will be a part of the reshuffled council of ministers and who will be moved out on the basis of an excel sheet which rates their performance. A reshuffle is expected on Sunday morning before PM Modi leaves for the BRICS summit in China. The performance sheet, created by a senior BJP leader, rates the performance of every minister who is currently a part of the government, top government sources told Zee Media. The column marked 'P and N' in the excel sheet - placed in front of every minister's name - will be the deciding factor. "P" stands for "Positive" and "N" for "Negative". The ground level performance of ministers will be given weightage. Social media has not been included in the parameters, the sources told Zee Media. The excel sheet has already been presented to PM Modi and Amit Shah, who has held several high-level meetings over the past few weeks over it, the report added. Transport minister Nitin Gadkari may take over the Defence portfolio from Arun Jaitley. Human Resource Development minister Prakash Javadekar is also likely to get a bigger portfolio or additional charges. Eight ministers have quit before the Cabinet reshuffle and were reportedly asked to resign by Amit Shah. Four junior ministers - Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Sanjiv Kumar Balyan, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahendra Nath Pandey - have resigned ahead of the rejig. Two Cabinet ministers, Uma Bharti and Kalraj Mishra, have also offered to resign, BJP sources told PTI.

How will PM Modi choose new council of ministers? An excel sheet

With an eye on the politically crucial assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh scheduled next year, the much-awaited expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led cabinet will take place today. Major changes in portfolios are also expected in the reshuffle. 
 
In what can be seen as an attempt to woo the alliance partners, &nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to expand his council of ministers by inducting 19 new faces, who will bring their unique rich experience and expertise to their office.&nbsp; 
 
Expansion comes after exhaustive whetting&nbsp; 
 
According to sources, the selection framework clearly laid out by the Prime Minister was to bring in &quot;doers and performers&quot;, who would deliver on his vision of development and good governance and further his central priority of &quot;gaon, garib and kisan&quot; (village, poor and farmers). &nbsp; 
 
The expansion comes after an exhaustive whetting and selection process to find out the best talent and people, who were assessed on the value they would bring to the union council of ministers, said sources. &nbsp; 
 
This marks a firm departure from the usual routine of frequent changes based on caste, religion and other time serving political considerations - and is a firm endorsement of the brand of developmental politics that the Prime Minister champions, they added. &nbsp; 
 
19 new ministers to be inducted&nbsp; 
 
The decision of expanding the Council of Ministers came after taking into consideration a diverse range of factors. The new ministers were identified from various walks of life, who would bring their unique rich experience and expertise to their office, said sources. 
 
Minister of state (MoS) for environment and forests Prakash Javadekar is likely to be elevated to the cabinet rank, while new ministers include PP Chaudhary, who is a senior Supreme Court advocate with over four-decade of experience in constitutional litigation, they said. 
 
Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre is another minister, who is a well-known doctor with a super specialisation in cancer surgery, whereas veteran editor and internationally acclaimed journalist MJ Akbar, former government officer from Rajasthan Arjun Ram Meghwal and author-cum-activist Anil Madhav Dave are among others to be inducted into the union council of ministers, said sources.&nbsp; 
 
State leaders having a hands-on understanding of state and local-level reality have been identified in particular, which includes Ramesh Jigajinagi, a former cabinet minister for home in Karnataka; Purshotam Rupala, former cabinet minister for agriculture in Gujarat; Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor, former minister of tribal affairs and rural development in Gujarat; and Mahendra Nath Pandey, former minister of urban development in Uttar Pradesh, they said.&nbsp; 
 
Besides, ministers having Central Government experience include Faggan Kulaste, former minister of state (MoS) for tribal affairs and Vijay Goel, former MoS for youth affairs and sports. Fresh talents have also been identified to bring their fresh perspective and exuberance, which include Anupriya Singh Patel, who comes with a strong academic base (LSR + MBA) as well as strong organisational skills, and Mansukh Mandaviya, who has spent a long time in Gujarat`s agricultural sector, including heading Gujarat Agro-Industries Corporation, said sources. 
 
Political veterans have also been identified to leverage on their decades of experience and understanding. &nbsp;They include six-term MP and one-term MLA Faggan Singh Kulaste, five-term MP and three-term MLA Ramesh Jigajinagi, five-term MP S.S. Ahluwalia, four-term MPs Vijay Goel and Rajan Gohain.&nbsp; 
 
According to sources, people with strong academic backgrounds have also been inducted in the Union Council of Ministers. The list includes Mahendra Nath Pandey, who has a PhD from the Banaras Hindu University, Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre, a super specialist in cancer surgery, and CR Chaudhary, who studied rural development at University of Birmingham. 
 
People from all communities and social backgrounds have been brought in, including two leaders from the Scheduled Tribes - Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor and Faggan Singh Kulaste, whereas from the Scheduled Castes category, five leaders - Ajay Tamta, Ramdas Athalwale, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Ramesh Jigajinagi and Krishna Raj- have been inducted.The list includes two leaders from the minority community M.J. Akbar and SS Ahluwalia, and two women leaders Anupriya Singh Patel and Krishna Raj. 
 
More so, leaders have been pulled in from all corners of the nation, said sources, adding that the 19 ministers come from more than 10 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Assam.&nbsp; 
 
The new ministers are going to be strategically deployed to further the priority areas of the government.The Prime Minister, who had reviewed the performance of various ministries indicating a reshuffle earlier on June 30, last expanded his cabinet in November 2014. 
 
It may be recalled in November 2014, the Council of Ministers was expanded by adding four cabinet ministers, three Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 14 Ministers of State, increasing the total size of the ministry from 45 to 66 ministers.The Cabinet was, however, leaner than the one headed by former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during the UPA regime. The strength of Dr Singh-led UPA stood at 78 after its final reshuffle in October 2012.According to the Constitution, the total number of ministers in the Council of Ministers must not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha ie 82.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

The selection framework laid out by the Prime Minister was to bring in 'doers and performers' who would deliver on his vision

With an eye on the politically crucial assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh scheduled next year, the much-awaited expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led cabinet will take place today. Major changes in portfolios are also expected in the reshuffle. In what can be seen as an attempt to woo the alliance partners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to expand his council of ministers by inducting 19 new faces, who will bring their unique rich experience and expertise to their office. Expansion comes after exhaustive whetting According to sources, the selection framework clearly laid out by the Prime Minister was to bring in "doers and performers", who would deliver on his vision of development and good governance and further his central priority of "gaon, garib and kisan" (village, poor and farmers). The expansion comes after an exhaustive whetting and selection process to find out the best talent and people, who were assessed on the value they would bring to the union council of ministers, said sources. This marks a firm departure from the usual routine of frequent changes based on caste, religion and other time serving political considerations - and is a firm endorsement of the brand of developmental politics that the Prime Minister champions, they added. 19 new ministers to be inducted The decision of expanding the Council of Ministers came after taking into consideration a diverse range of factors. The new ministers were identified from various walks of life, who would bring their unique rich experience and expertise to their office, said sources. Minister of state (MoS) for environment and forests Prakash Javadekar is likely to be elevated to the cabinet rank, while new ministers include PP Chaudhary, who is a senior Supreme Court advocate with over four-decade of experience in constitutional litigation, they said. Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre is another minister, who is a well-known doctor with a super specialisation in cancer surgery, whereas veteran editor and internationally acclaimed journalist MJ Akbar, former government officer from Rajasthan Arjun Ram Meghwal and author-cum-activist Anil Madhav Dave are among others to be inducted into the union council of ministers, said sources. State leaders having a hands-on understanding of state and local-level reality have been identified in particular, which includes Ramesh Jigajinagi, a former cabinet minister for home in Karnataka; Purshotam Rupala, former cabinet minister for agriculture in Gujarat; Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor, former minister of tribal affairs and rural development in Gujarat; and Mahendra Nath Pandey, former minister of urban development in Uttar Pradesh, they said. Besides, ministers having Central Government experience include Faggan Kulaste, former minister of state (MoS) for tribal affairs and Vijay Goel, former MoS for youth affairs and sports. Fresh talents have also been identified to bring their fresh perspective and exuberance, which include Anupriya Singh Patel, who comes with a strong academic base (LSR + MBA) as well as strong organisational skills, and Mansukh Mandaviya, who has spent a long time in Gujarat`s agricultural sector, including heading Gujarat Agro-Industries Corporation, said sources. Political veterans have also been identified to leverage on their decades of experience and understanding. They include six-term MP and one-term MLA Faggan Singh Kulaste, five-term MP and three-term MLA Ramesh Jigajinagi, five-term MP S.S. Ahluwalia, four-term MPs Vijay Goel and Rajan Gohain. According to sources, people with strong academic backgrounds have also been inducted in the Union Council of Ministers. The list includes Mahendra Nath Pandey, who has a PhD from the Banaras Hindu University, Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre, a super specialist in cancer surgery, and CR Chaudhary, who studied rural development at University of Birmingham. People from all communities and social backgrounds have been brought in, including two leaders from the Scheduled Tribes - Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor and Faggan Singh Kulaste, whereas from the Scheduled Castes category, five leaders - Ajay Tamta, Ramdas Athalwale, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Ramesh Jigajinagi and Krishna Raj- have been inducted.The list includes two leaders from the minority community M.J. Akbar and SS Ahluwalia, and two women leaders Anupriya Singh Patel and Krishna Raj. More so, leaders have been pulled in from all corners of the nation, said sources, adding that the 19 ministers come from more than 10 states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Assam. The new ministers are going to be strategically deployed to further the priority areas of the government.The Prime Minister, who had reviewed the performance of various ministries indicating a reshuffle earlier on June 30, last expanded his cabinet in November 2014. It may be recalled in November 2014, the Council of Ministers was expanded by adding four cabinet ministers, three Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 14 Ministers of State, increasing the total size of the ministry from 45 to 66 ministers.The Cabinet was, however, leaner than the one headed by former prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during the UPA regime. The strength of Dr Singh-led UPA stood at 78 after its final reshuffle in October 2012.According to the Constitution, the total number of ministers in the Council of Ministers must not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha ie 82. (ANI)

Indian cabinet set for reshuffle today?

A bureaucrat-turned-politician, Arjun Ram Meghwal, the chief whip of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lower House of India&#39;s Parliament (Lok Sabha), is known for his penchant for pedalling to the Parliament. 
 
Meghwal was born into family of weavers in the western state of Rajasthan&#39;s Kishmidesar village of Bikaner district. He began his career as a telephone operator while pursuing his LLB and got into the Rajasthan Civil Services after two failed attempts. 
 
He was later promoted to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). 
 
A two-time member of Parliament, the 61-year-old was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009 from Bikaner constituency which was earlier represented by Bollywood star Dharmendra. 
 
Known for his active participation in Lok Sabha debates on a variety of issues, Meghwal had recently attacked the judiciary for its &quot;extra constitutional&quot; activism. The leader had demanded that &quot;running commentary&quot; by judges should end. 
 
Easily identified by his green and saffron turban, Meghwal has of late started using a bicycle to commute to Parliament during sessions. This, he says, saves fuel, protects environment and keeps him fit. He often sings bhajans (hymns) in the morning which he says keep him mentally alert. 
 
As an MP, he has been a member of various parliamentary Committees including on defence, science and technology, environment and forest, personnel, public grievances and law and justice. 
 
Meghwal has participated in many programmes for development of Rajasthani language and its inclusion in 8th Schedule of the Constitution. 
 
From ploughing the fields to being an advocate and a lawmaker, P P Chaudhary, who cut his teeth in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh a right-wing volunteer organisation&nbsp;(RSS), has been catapulted to the centrestage of politics with his induction in the Union Council of Ministers. 
 
Born in a poor farmer family, 62-year-old Chaudhary joined the RSS when he was eight years old as a &#39;Bal Swayamsevak&#39; &nbsp;(child volunteer) in 1961. Hailing from Bhavi in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, Chaudhary worked hard to study law and went on to become a senior advocate of the Supreme Court. 
 
He was given a ticket by the BJP from Pali in Rajasthan and won the seat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. 
 
Specialising in constitutional matters, he claims to have argued nearly 11,000 cases in his long professional career of almost four decades. He was also standing counsel of the Central Government in 1990. 
 
He has also handled cases relating to farmers and those relating to land acquisition, as well as public interest litigations. He also fought cases relating to para-teachers in Rajasthan up to the Supreme Court and the Vasundhara Raje government gave them jobs after coming to power. 
 
He was part of the Joint Committee of Parliament that looked into the contentious Land Acquisition bill brought in by National Democratic Alliance party (NDA) and later abandoned it. 
 
He has been active as a social worker and has worked to uplift the educational status of children, especially girls, in rural areas 
. 
Chaudhary also worked actively for the cause of farmers in Rajasthan and took initiatives like irrigation projects organic farming. 
 
He has been elected for three years as Member of the International Executive Committee, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, London, UK, where he effectively put forward the India&#39;s view point on Jammu and Kashmir. 
 
He also claimed to have provided insurance cover for 1.31 lakh women of Pali Lok Sabha constituency--one of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Rajasthan-- from his own salary as a parliamentarian.&nbsp; 
 
From an obscure local village--self governance--body (panchayat) functionary to a Union Minister, it has been a spectacular political journey for Ajay Tamta. 
 
Tamta, who would turn 44 on July 16, cut his teeth in politics as a member of district panchayat in his home state Uttarakhand in northern India and rose to become its vice president. 
 
The induction of the leader from Almora comes at a time when BJP is promoting leaders of the socially disadvantaged communities in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand where assembly polls are due early next year. 
 
A first-term member of the Lower House of India&#39;s Parliament, Tamta is a member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development (HRD) as also of the Consultative Committee in the ministry of water resources,river development&nbsp;and Ganga (river) rejuvenation. He was earlier a member of the Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. 
 
Earlier he was a minister in his home state between 2007 and 2009. 
 
He had contested state assembly polls in 2002 as an independent but lost. Tamta tried his luck at the hustings again in 2007 and won on BJP ticket. 
 
Mahendra Nath Pandey from&nbsp;Uttar Pradesh, where it is going the whole hog to win after being out of power for a decade-and-a-half. 
 
Pandey, a first-time Lok Sabha member, is a member of Parliament&nbsp;from Chandauli bordering the eastern state of Bihar. 
 
Pandey&#39;s induction in the Union government is being seen as an attempt to reach out to the significantly large Brahmin vote bank in the state. The Brahmins, who were traditionally Congress supporters, had been siding with BJP in the post-Mandal era. However, a large chunk of them later also voted for Mayawati&#39;s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). 
 
The 58-year-old leader is a two-time Member of the Legislative Assembly&nbsp;and was elected to the UP Legislative Assembly in 1991 and 1996. He was the secretary of the BJP legislature party. 
 
In 1997, Pandey became Minister of State (MoS)&nbsp;for Housing and Urban Development and was the MoS Planning (Independent charge) between 1998 and 2000. He was also the MoS Panchayati Raj in UP between 2000 and 2002. 
 
He has a Masters in Journalism and PhD (Hindi) from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). 
 
Pandey is currently a member of the Business Advisory Committee and the Committee of Parliament on Official Language. 
In the past, he was a member of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Consultative Committee, Ministry of Steel and Mines. 
 
Rajen Gohaine is a&nbsp;four-time BJP MP from Assam&nbsp;is a known champion for the cause of small tea growers in the Northeastern state. 
Gohain, 65, who was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1999 from Nagaon, is a law graduate and was actively involved in the six-year-long Assam agitation against illegal immigrants in early 1980s. 
 
He belongs to the Ahom community like former Assam chief minister&nbsp;Tarun Gogoi and his induction into the Modi government an attempt by the BJP to penetrate into this community, traditionally known as Congress supporters. 
 
Despite Nagaon being a minority dominated constituency, Gohain was elected to the Lower House for four consecutive terms. 
 
&quot;I will try my level best to serve the people of Assam. I request the people of Assam to be with me in this journey,&quot; Gohain said. 
He has been a leading figure in Assam to fight for the cause of small tea garden owners, who often allege discrimination by big tea companies. 
 
A state-level hockey player in his school days, Gohain was also a long-distance runner. 
 
He is Chairperson of the&nbsp;Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes. 
 
(PTI)

Know the new Indian policy makers as Prime Minister Narendra Modi rejigs his cabinet.

A bureaucrat-turned-politician, Arjun Ram Meghwal, the chief whip of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lower House of India's Parliament (Lok Sabha), is known for his penchant for pedalling to the Parliament. Meghwal was born into family of weavers in the western state of Rajasthan's Kishmidesar village of Bikaner district. He began his career as a telephone operator while pursuing his LLB and got into the Rajasthan Civil Services after two failed attempts. He was later promoted to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). A two-time member of Parliament, the 61-year-old was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 2009 from Bikaner constituency which was earlier represented by Bollywood star Dharmendra. Known for his active participation in Lok Sabha debates on a variety of issues, Meghwal had recently attacked the judiciary for its "extra constitutional" activism. The leader had demanded that "running commentary" by judges should end. Easily identified by his green and saffron turban, Meghwal has of late started using a bicycle to commute to Parliament during sessions. This, he says, saves fuel, protects environment and keeps him fit. He often sings bhajans (hymns) in the morning which he says keep him mentally alert. As an MP, he has been a member of various parliamentary Committees including on defence, science and technology, environment and forest, personnel, public grievances and law and justice. Meghwal has participated in many programmes for development of Rajasthani language and its inclusion in 8th Schedule of the Constitution. From ploughing the fields to being an advocate and a lawmaker, P P Chaudhary, who cut his teeth in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh a right-wing volunteer organisation (RSS), has been catapulted to the centrestage of politics with his induction in the Union Council of Ministers. Born in a poor farmer family, 62-year-old Chaudhary joined the RSS when he was eight years old as a 'Bal Swayamsevak' (child volunteer) in 1961. Hailing from Bhavi in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, Chaudhary worked hard to study law and went on to become a senior advocate of the Supreme Court. He was given a ticket by the BJP from Pali in Rajasthan and won the seat in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Specialising in constitutional matters, he claims to have argued nearly 11,000 cases in his long professional career of almost four decades. He was also standing counsel of the Central Government in 1990. He has also handled cases relating to farmers and those relating to land acquisition, as well as public interest litigations. He also fought cases relating to para-teachers in Rajasthan up to the Supreme Court and the Vasundhara Raje government gave them jobs after coming to power. He was part of the Joint Committee of Parliament that looked into the contentious Land Acquisition bill brought in by National Democratic Alliance party (NDA) and later abandoned it. He has been active as a social worker and has worked to uplift the educational status of children, especially girls, in rural areas . Chaudhary also worked actively for the cause of farmers in Rajasthan and took initiatives like irrigation projects organic farming. He has been elected for three years as Member of the International Executive Committee, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, London, UK, where he effectively put forward the India's view point on Jammu and Kashmir. He also claimed to have provided insurance cover for 1.31 lakh women of Pali Lok Sabha constituency--one of the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Rajasthan-- from his own salary as a parliamentarian. From an obscure local village--self governance--body (panchayat) functionary to a Union Minister, it has been a spectacular political journey for Ajay Tamta. Tamta, who would turn 44 on July 16, cut his teeth in politics as a member of district panchayat in his home state Uttarakhand in northern India and rose to become its vice president. The induction of the leader from Almora comes at a time when BJP is promoting leaders of the socially disadvantaged communities in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand where assembly polls are due early next year. A first-term member of the Lower House of India's Parliament, Tamta is a member of the Standing Committee on Human Resource Development (HRD) as also of the Consultative Committee in the ministry of water resources,river development and Ganga (river) rejuvenation. He was earlier a member of the Committee on Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Earlier he was a minister in his home state between 2007 and 2009. He had contested state assembly polls in 2002 as an independent but lost. Tamta tried his luck at the hustings again in 2007 and won on BJP ticket. Mahendra Nath Pandey from Uttar Pradesh, where it is going the whole hog to win after being out of power for a decade-and-a-half. Pandey, a first-time Lok Sabha member, is a member of Parliament from Chandauli bordering the eastern state of Bihar. Pandey's induction in the Union government is being seen as an attempt to reach out to the significantly large Brahmin vote bank in the state. The Brahmins, who were traditionally Congress supporters, had been siding with BJP in the post-Mandal era. However, a large chunk of them later also voted for Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The 58-year-old leader is a two-time Member of the Legislative Assembly and was elected to the UP Legislative Assembly in 1991 and 1996. He was the secretary of the BJP legislature party. In 1997, Pandey became Minister of State (MoS) for Housing and Urban Development and was the MoS Planning (Independent charge) between 1998 and 2000. He was also the MoS Panchayati Raj in UP between 2000 and 2002. He has a Masters in Journalism and PhD (Hindi) from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). Pandey is currently a member of the Business Advisory Committee and the Committee of Parliament on Official Language. In the past, he was a member of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Consultative Committee, Ministry of Steel and Mines. Rajen Gohaine is a four-time BJP MP from Assam is a known champion for the cause of small tea growers in the Northeastern state. Gohain, 65, who was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1999 from Nagaon, is a law graduate and was actively involved in the six-year-long Assam agitation against illegal immigrants in early 1980s. He belongs to the Ahom community like former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi and his induction into the Modi government an attempt by the BJP to penetrate into this community, traditionally known as Congress supporters. Despite Nagaon being a minority dominated constituency, Gohain was elected to the Lower House for four consecutive terms. "I will try my level best to serve the people of Assam. I request the people of Assam to be with me in this journey," Gohain said. He has been a leading figure in Assam to fight for the cause of small tea garden owners, who often allege discrimination by big tea companies. A state-level hockey player in his school days, Gohain was also a long-distance runner. He is Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes. (PTI)

India's ministry reshuffle: Profiles of ministers inducted

cabinet-reshuffle

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