Shiv Sena leader Suresh Prabhu was the second to take oath as minister in the Modi Cabinet's first expansion today
New Delhi:
Suresh Prabhu has been made a cabinet minister in the Narendra Modi government, a move that has fuelled the tension between his party, the Shiv Sena, and the BJP. He will hold the Railways portfolio.
Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray had made it clear, sources said, that if Mr Prabhu were to find a spot in the cabinet, his party would not consider it a part of the "quota" it is entitled to as a member of the Prime Minister's coalition government.
Lately, there have been reports that Mr Prabhu is expected to soon join the BJP, with whom the Shiv Sena is warring about whether and how it will join the government in Maharashtra.
Mr Prabhu, a qualified Chartered Accountant, returns to the Union Cabinet after having served in the government of Atal Behari Vajpayee.
During Prime Minister Vajpayee's tenure from 1998 to 2004, Mr Prabhu served as Industry Minister, Minister of Environment and Forests, Minister of Fertilizers & Chemicals, Power, and Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises.
His stint as Power Minister won him praise for efficient administration of a key government department.
The 61-year-old from Maharashtra has been given a series of major posts by the union government: he was made head of an important advisory committee that focuses on power and coal; for next week's G-20 summit in Australia, he was appointed the PM's 'sherpa', which means he represents Mr Modi in preparations for and talks ahead of the summit.
Last year, when Mr Modi was still Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Wharton Business School controversially revoked its invitation to him for a keynote address via video conference for an event in the US. A section of students and professors had protested against Mr Modi's scheduled speech, linking the politician to human rights violations in the Gujarat riots of 2002.
In a show of support, Mr Prabhu pulled out of the event.
Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray had made it clear, sources said, that if Mr Prabhu were to find a spot in the cabinet, his party would not consider it a part of the "quota" it is entitled to as a member of the Prime Minister's coalition government.
Lately, there have been reports that Mr Prabhu is expected to soon join the BJP, with whom the Shiv Sena is warring about whether and how it will join the government in Maharashtra.
Mr Prabhu, a qualified Chartered Accountant, returns to the Union Cabinet after having served in the government of Atal Behari Vajpayee.
During Prime Minister Vajpayee's tenure from 1998 to 2004, Mr Prabhu served as Industry Minister, Minister of Environment and Forests, Minister of Fertilizers & Chemicals, Power, and Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises.
His stint as Power Minister won him praise for efficient administration of a key government department.
The 61-year-old from Maharashtra has been given a series of major posts by the union government: he was made head of an important advisory committee that focuses on power and coal; for next week's G-20 summit in Australia, he was appointed the PM's 'sherpa', which means he represents Mr Modi in preparations for and talks ahead of the summit.
Last year, when Mr Modi was still Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Wharton Business School controversially revoked its invitation to him for a keynote address via video conference for an event in the US. A section of students and professors had protested against Mr Modi's scheduled speech, linking the politician to human rights violations in the Gujarat riots of 2002.
In a show of support, Mr Prabhu pulled out of the event.
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