PM talks about Mann ki Baat but doesn't do 'Kaam ki Baat': Congress

Extremely disappointed over Uttar Pradesh not being given adequate representation in the Cabinet, the Congress Party on Thursday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he does 'Mann ki Baat' very often but is least interested in 'Kaam ki Baat'.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said it has now been two years and two months since the NDA regime has formed government at the Centre but Uttar Pradesh has not received anything so far.

"Several promises were made, Mann ki Baat is made, but there has been no 'Kaam ki Baat' for Uttar Pradesh so far.It now seems the Prime Minister is taking some revenge from Uttar Pradesh," he told ANI.

Tiwari, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, said it seems Prime Minister Modi is taking some sort of revenge from the politically crucial state.

"Being from Uttar Pradesh, I am extremely upset with the Cabinet expansion as Uttar Pradesh has given 73 lawmakers and today not even one has been given the Cabinet rank. Some have been given the rank of Ministers of State.So, I would say this is pure discrimination as several lawmakers have been inducted from Gujarat and other states," he added.

The Prime Minister had earlier in an interview stated that only the BJP can ensure progress and development.

Highlighting the fifteen years of misrule, he also emphasized that leading Uttar Pradesh on the path of progress will be part of the BJP's strategy.

In a much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Modi today inducted 19 new faces, who have been chosen after an exhaustive vetting process to carry forward the government's vision of 'Gaon, Garib aur Kisan'.

The 19 leaders from the BJP and alliance partners the Apna Dal, AGP and RPI were sworn-in at a glittering ceremony held at the Rastrapati Bhawan here. President Pranab Mukherjee administered the oath of office and secrecy to them.

Minister of State with independent charge Prakash Javadekar has been elevated to the Cabinet rank.

The Ministers of State are Faggan Singh Kulste, S S Ahluwalia, Ramesh Jigjinagi, Vijay Goel, Ramdas Athawale, Rajen Gohain, Anil Madhav Dave, Parshottam Rupala, M J Akbar, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Ajay Tamta, Smt. Krishna Raj, Mansukh Mandaviya, Anupriya Patel, C R Chaudhary, P P Chaudhary, Dr Subhash Bhamre.

This is the second expansion of the Prime Minister Modi's government. With today's induction, the total number of Ministers in the Union Council has gone up to 83.