Not one Rupani minister in all-new Gujarat Cabinet
CM keeps home ministry among other depts; Kanubhai Desai gets finance
Making amply clear that it is in a mood for a complete overhaul in Gujarat ahead of the 2022 state polls, the BJP on Thursday inducted 24 ministers, including 21 who have become ministers for the first time.
With the fresh inductions, the strength of the ministry led by CM Bhupendra Patel, a first-term MLA and minister, has gone up to 25.
In the evening, the CM allocated portfolios, keeping a host of departments including Home with himself and without appointing any deputy.
Kanubhai Desai was allocated Finance and Energy and Petrochemicals portfolios.
Besides the Home ministry, CM Patel will hold the charge of General Administration Department, Information and Broadcast, Industries, Mines and Minerals, Capital Projects, Urban Development, Urban Housing and Narmada and Ports, an official release said.
The allocation was announced in the first cabinet meeting held in Gandhinagar
after the ministers were sworn in earlier in the day.
Rajendra Trivedi, who was Assembly Speaker during the previous Vijay Rupani government, was allocated Revenue, Law and Justice, and Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs departments as a cabinet-rank minister.
Jitubhai Vaghani was given the Education portfolio as cabinet minister, while Rishikesh Patel was given Health and Family Welfare and Medical
Education as well as Water Resources and Water Supply.
Purnesh Modi will handle Roads and Building, Transport, Civil Aviation, Tourism and Pilgrimage Development.
Raghavji Patel will handle Agriculture and Animal Husbandry.
Another cabinet-rank minister, Kiritsinh Rana, has been given Forest, Environment, Climate Change, and Printing and Stationery departments.
Naresh Patel will hold Tribal Development and Food and Civil Supply.
Pradip Parmar has been made Social Justice and Empowerment Minister while Arjunsinh Chauhan was allocated the Rural Development and Rural Housing.
Harsh Sanghavi, youngest member of the ministry, would be the Minister of State (MOS), Home. He would also handle the Disaster Management and Police Housing.