3 Rajasthan MPs get key portfolios in Modi's team

Three newly elected MPs from Rajasthan on Friday got key portfolios in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new Cabinet.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has been given the newly-introduced Jal Shakti portfolio. The Ministry has been created in line with Modi's poll promise of providing safe drinking water to people.

Shekhawat has been rewarded for having defeated the son of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot from his home turf Jodhpur. He trounced Vaibhav Gehlot by over 2.74 lakh votes.

Kailash Choudhary, a new face, has been made the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

Like Shekhawat, Choudhary has been rewarded for having beaten BJP veteran Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh in another challenging contest in Barmer.

Arjun Meghwal, the MP from Bikaner, has been made the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs as well as Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

Meghwal, 65, served as the Union Minister of State for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation as well as Parliamentary Affairs in the first Modi government. The former IAS has got a third term from Bikaner, a reserved seat.

--IANS

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