Cabinet reshuffle: Doesn't matter who sits where as nation runs under PMO, says Yechury

The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) on Saturday said that the Cabinet reshuffle is done for diverting people's attention, because of the epic failure of demonetisation.

Speaking to ANI, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury told ANI that the nation runs under the Prime Minister and from Prime Minister's Office.

"This cabinet reshuffle is for diverting attention because of the epic failure of demonetisation. Everyone knows that the nation runs under the Prime Minister and from the PMO. So there is no point of saying who sits where," he added.

Earlier in the day, Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav said that the mega Union Cabinet reshuffle would not make any difference unless the promises made by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 are fulfilled.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Piyush Goyal has been given the charge of Railway Ministry, post the mega Cabinet rejig on Sunday morning.

Nirmala Sitharaman has been assigned the charge of the Defence Ministry, becoming only the second woman to hold the post since late Indira Gandhi.

Dharmendra Pradhan has been promoted to the Cabinet rank of Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas; and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, has been now made the Minister of Minority Affairs.

Other ministers who are handed over bigger responsibilities and who, probably, lost their credentials are:

-Arun Jaitley will keep Finance Portfolio and Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

-Nitin Gadkari gets the additional charge of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development Ganga Rejuvenation.

-Shiv Pratap Shukla - promoted as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance

-Ashwini Kumar Choubey - promoted as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

-Virendra Kumar - - promoted as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs

-Anant Kumar Hegde - the Minister of State in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

-Raj Kumar Singh - the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Power and the Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

-Hardeep Puri - the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

-Gajendra Singh Shekhawat - the Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare

-Satya Pal Singh - the Minister of State in the Ministry of Women Resource Development and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Water Resources, Rural Development and Ganga Rejuvenation

-Alphons Kannanthanam - the Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Tourism and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

-Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar gets the Ministry of Mines

-Uma Bharati , who was earlier the Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, has now been made the Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

-Also, Vijay Goel, earlier the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, has now been made the Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

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