Leader of the NDA parliamentary party, Narendra Modi and his coterie of ministers are all set to be sworn in on Thursday at 7 pm. Sadananda Gowda, the BJP MP from Bengaluru North, Dharwad MP Pralhad Joshi and Belagavi MP Suresh Angadi have received confirmation of a ministerial berth in the Union cabinet.
While Sadananda Gowda served as Minister for Statistics and Programme Implementation in the previous Narendra Modi cabinet, both Joshi and Angadi are new entrants. Sadananda Gowda has also served as Minister for Railways and Law and Justice.
Including both Suresh Angadi and Pralhad Johi into the union cabinet can be seen as a move to strengthen the BJP's base in North Karnataka. With Karnataka Congress leaders concentrating on development of the southern part of the state for decades, the induction of these two MPs reads as a move to reassure the neglected electorate in the northern part of the state.
Speaking to the media at around 12.30 pm, Sadananda Gowda said, "I have received a call from our national leader Amit Shah a while ago. He told me that I will be inducted into the cabinet. He asked me to arrive at Narendra Modi's residence at 5 pm and to formally take oath with other MPs later at 7 pm. I am extremely happy to hear this news," Sadananda Gowda added.
The two-time MP from Bengaluru North said that he would focus on developing his constituency and the state in the next five years. "It is a matter of pride for me that I would be able to serve in Narendra Modi's cabinet. I have contributed to my constituency a lot in the last five years and everyone has seen that. From releasing funds for suburban train project to metro phase II. My job is to serve my country, state and constituency,' he said.
Sadananda Gowda, however, said he did not have any aspiration for a specific ministerial berth, while stating that "any ministerial post in Narendra Modi's cabinet is an extremely good one".
"Bhupendar Yadav called me and told me that I will be inducted into the cabinet. This time, I knew that they would give me a post although I was not offered one last time. My job will be to ensue that all of PM Modi’s development schemes reach the people of Karnataka. I will bring up the issues related to sugar cultivation once I take oath as minister," Suresh Angadi said
Including both Suresh Angadi and Pralhad Johi into the union cabinet can be seen as a move to strengthen the BJP's base in North Karnataka. With Karnataka Congress leaders concentrating on development of the southern part of the state for decades, the induction of these two MPs reads as a move to reassure the neglected electorate in the northern part of the state.