New faces in Modi Cabinet: Bittu, Nadda, Khattar, Jayant and Sehrawat

Neeraj Mohan

New Delhi, June 9

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for his third term, new faces from northern states are expected to join his cabinet, including former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Ravneet Bittu and BJP president JP Nadda.

Khattar, who has been elected as MP for the first time, is likely to get a cabinet berth. Prior to the elections, the BJP replaced him as chief minister.

Rao Inderjit Singh, a significant Yadav leader and Gurugram MP, may also be inducted into the Modi Cabinet. This move aims to strengthen the BJP’s influence in the Yadav-dominated Ahirwal region of Haryana, with the party winning both Gurugram and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh seats.

Another leader from the poll-bound Haryana is Krishan Pal Gurjar. The Faridabad MP and former union minister is likely to be inducted into the cabinet. His elevation highlights the BJP’s focus on the OBC community. No Jat representatives from Haryana have been included, despite the election of a Jat MP from Bhiwani-Mahendergarh.

Ravneet Bittu, who switched from the Congress to the BJP, is likely to join the Modi cabinet. Bittu, grandson of slain Punjab chief minister Beant Singh, shifted to the BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Although he lost the Ludhiana seat to Amarinder Singh Raja Warring by over 20,000 votes, his inclusion would send a strong message to Punjab. Bittu has been a Lok Sabha MP from Anandpur Sahib in 2009 and from Ludhiana in 2014 and 2019 on a Congress ticket. He hails from Kotla Afghana village in Payal Assembly segment of Ludhiana.

Another probable face from northern state of Himachal Pradesh is JP Nadda, who is set to replace Anurag Thakur. Nadda, the BJP president, is unlikely to continue as the party chief. Despite Thakur’s fifth consecutive win from Hamirpur, he is not expected to join the Union cabinet due to the need to accommodate leaders from other NDA parties.

Meanwhile, Jayant Chaudhary, a prominent Jat leader and RLD chief, is poised to join the Modi cabinet. His party, RLD, won both the seats it contested, Baghpat and Bijnor, in alliance with the BJP.

Kamaljeet Sehrawat, the BJP MP from West Delhi, is another new Jat face from the northern region. Sehrawat, a significant figure in Delhi politics, was a surprise choice for the West Delhi Lok Sabha seat, replacing two-time MP Parvesh Verma for the 2024 general election.