Prime Minister Narendra Modi today introduced to the Lok Sabha 43 of the 44 members of his Council of Ministers.
All the ministers were introduced in the House, barring Minister of State for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy (Independent Charge) Piyush Goyal, who was absent.
After Goyal’s name was announced by Modi, some Congress members shouted that he was not present in the House.
“Then I will introduce him the next time,” Modi said and continued announcing the names of other ministers.
Those introduced included the BJP top-brass including Home Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance, Corporate and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, Parliamentary Affairs, Urban Development, Housing and Poverty Alleviation Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Surface Road Transport and Highways, Shipping, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water and Sanitation Nitin Gadkari.
Among the ministers representing the BJP’s allies were Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP), Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Anant Geete (Shiv Sena), Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal (SAD) and Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju (TDP).
Others introduced by the Prime Minister included Social Justice and Empowerment Minister T C Gehlot, HRD Minister Smriti Zubin Irani and Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan.
There are 22 Cabinet Ministers, 10 Ministers of State with independent charge and 12 Ministers of State.