Long list of hopefuls from Jharkhand for a berth in Modi’s second cabinet

ranchi

Updated: May 26, 2019 09:06 IST

Days after the declaration of general election results, the state BJP unit is abuzz with speculations regarding ministerial berths in the new cabinet Narendra Modi’s government.

In the 16th Lok Sabha (2014-2019), Jharkhand’s two parliamentarians Jayant Sinha (Hazaribag) and Sudershan Bhagat (Lohardaga) found a place in Modi’s first tenure.

While Sinha had first been made minister of state for finance and later sifted to MoS civil aviation, Bhagat had handled four ministries as MoS during different term between 2014-2019. Bhagat is currently MoS for tribal affairs.

As the BJP came to power with historic mandate for a second term, all eyes in the state unit are now on government formation amid speculation that some new faces may be brought into the new cabinet.

There are speculations that any one or two of the newly elected Koderma MP Annapurna Devi, Khunti MP Arjun Munda and Dumka MP Sunil Soren are reckoning to be included in the new cabinet.

BJP leaders opined that while former state RJD chief Devi, who had joined the BJP in March this year, emerged as a giant killer after defeating former chief minister Babulal Marandi by a huge margin of over 4 lakh votes.

Moreover, she is the party’s lone woman MP from Jharkhand and that she had the experience of handling department as a minister in the state government.

“Munda, the three-time former chief minister and tallest tribal face in Jharkhand, is a natural claimant of ministerial berth. He may replace Bhagat as MoS for tribal affairs this time,” a senior BJP leader said.

“Sunil Soren, who defeated JMM’s stalwart Shibu Soren, is the young tribal face. Giving him a ministerial berth will give a positive message among people of Santhal region from where BJP is eying to score fairly in upcoming assembly elections,” another BJP leader said.

However, state BJP leaders are undisputedly opined that Jayant Sinha was going to secure a ministerial berth for sure. They said, “He can be elevated as a senior minister.”

Some of the saffron party leaders are of the view that Godda MP Nishi Kant Dubey could emerge as a lucky parliamentarian in this regard.

However, AJSU party, the BJP’s ally in the state, too is hopeful for a ministerial berth for its lone MP from Giridih, Chandra Prakash Choudhary.