25 BJP MLAs sworn in as Gujarat ministers; Deputy CM Sanghavi gets Home and Industries

Following a major reshuffle-cum-expansion of his Cabinet, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday allotted the important portfolios of Home and Industries to Harsh Sanghavi, who has been elevated as Deputy CM.

Sanghvi was also given Transport, Sports and Youth Affairs and Civil Aviation Departments, an official release said in the evening.

Earlier in the day, Bhupendra Patel inducted 19 fresh faces in his council of ministers and retained six from his previous team, including Sanghavi who was then a Minister of State for Home. Among new entrants were cricketer Ravindra Jadeja’s wife Rivaba Jadeja, who was made a Minister of State.

The CM chaired a cabinet meeting after the rejig and allotted portfolios, the release said.

The Chief Minister retained General Administration, Non Resident Gujaratis’ Division, Revenue and Disaster Management, Roads and Building, Narmada and Kalpsar, Mines and Minerals, Ports, Information and Broadcasting and all other portfolios not allotted to others.

Prior to the reshuffle, he handled the Home Department while Sanghavi was the MoS Home.

While Kanubhai Desai was allotted Finance and Urban Development and Urban Housing departments, Rushikesh Patel, who earlier handled Health, was given Energy and Petrochemicals, Panchayat as well as Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs.

Cabinet minister Kunvarji Bavalia has been given Labour, Skill Development and Employment as well as Rural Development departments.

Jitu Vaghani was allotted Agriculture, Cooperation, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Protocol as a Cabinet minister.

Naresh Patel will handle Tribal Development and Cottage Industries, while Arjun Modhwadia was given Forest and Environment as well as Science and Technology.

First-time MLA Dr Pradyuman Vaja will handle Social Justice and Empowerment as well as Education as a Cabinet minister.

Ramanbhai Solanki was made the cabinet minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.

Ishwarsinh Patel, an MoS with independent charge, will handle Water Resources and Water Supply.

Among other junior ministers, Praful Pansheria will handle Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education as an MoS with independent charge. Similarly, Manisha Vakil will lead Women and Child Development departments as an MoS with independent charge.

While Parshottam Solanki retained Fisheries as an MoS, Kantilal Amrutiya was given Labour, Skill Development and Employment.

Darshana Vaghela was made MoS for Urban Development and Urban Housing while Ramesh Katara got Agriculture, Cooperation, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cow-Breeding.

MoS Kaushik Vekariya has been allotted Legal department, Energy and Petrochemicals as well as Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs portfolio.

MoS Pravin Mali will handle Forest and Environment while Jayram Gamit will handle Sports, Youth and Cultural Affairs, Industries and Civil Aviation as an MoS.

Trikam Chhanga was made MoS for Higher and Technical Education while Kamlesh Patel is the new MoS for Finance, Police Housing and Prohibition and Excise department.

Sanjaysinh Mahida got Revenue and Panchayat and Rural Housing as well as Rural Development portfolios.

PC Baranda, a tribal leader and former IPS officer, was made MoS for Tribal Development as well as Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs departments.

While Swarupji Thakor got Khadi, Kutir and Rural Industries portfolios, Rivaba Jadeja was alloted Primary, Secondary and Adult Education as an MoS.