Union Cabinet expansion 'a balancing act': GVL Narsimha

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader GVL Narsimha on Monday termed the expansion of the Union Cabinet a balancing act which had given proper representation to youth, experience and region.

"The expansion of the Cabinet has given a balance to both youth and experience. We have representation from across the entire country. There were some states which could not be represented in the Council of Ministers when it was constituted in May," Narsimha told ANI here.

Pointing out that this expansion was a relief to some ministers who were handling additional ministries till yesterday, he said, "Now, most of the states, practically all the states are represented in the Cabinet. There were many ministers who had charge of more than two or three ministries."

The BJP leader also added that the addition of ministers in the Union Cabinet will aid the government's performance.

"I think this government is in a very, very fast track mode and induction of new ministers will only further give a fillip to the performance of this government and I am sure the new expansion has been received very well," he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted 21 new ministers including four cabinet ministers, three Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 14 Ministers of State in his first cabinet expansion on Sunday.

Reports say he will hold a meeting with his expanded cabinet in the evening today.

Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar expectedly bagged the post of the new Defence Minister and ex-NDA minister Suresh Prabhu was given charge of the Railway Ministry.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who earlier held the Defence portfolio as an additional charge has now been given the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's additional charge.

D V Sadananda Gowda has been shifted from the Railways Ministry, and made the Law and Justice Minister, relieving Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from the charge.

J P Nadda, who also took oath as a Cabinet minister on Sunday, got the portfolio of Health and Family Welfare, which was earlier held by Dr. Harsh Vardhan.

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