Cabinet reshuffle: Goyal bags Railways, Prabhu gets Commerce

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New Delhi: The mega Cabinet reshuffle on Sunday morning saw the promotion of Piyush Goyal as the new Railway minister. Power minister Goyal was handed over the Railways portfolio after Suresh Prabhu offered to step down from his post, in the wake of a spate of train derailments recently.

It has been said that Goyal had brought about a turnaround in power production and delivered on the government's plan to electrify villages.

Taking to Twitter, Suresh Prabhu congratulated all those leaders who took oath on Sunday as Cabinet ministers. He posted, "Congrats to Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal, Nirmala Sitharaman and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for their new responsibilities Best wishes for great success."

Congrats to @dpradhanbjp @PiyushGoyal @nsitharaman @naqvimukhtar for their new responsibilities Best wishes for great success — Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) September 3, 2017

He also expressed his gratitude to the railway family for their support. "Thanks to all 13 Lacs+ rail family for their support,love,goodwill.I will always cherish these memories with me.Wishing u all a great life," the former Railway Minister tweeted. 

Thanks to all 13 Lacs+ rail family for their support,love,goodwill.I will always cherish these memories with me.Wishing u all a great life — Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) September 3, 2017

Congrats to all members of #TeamModi for new responsibility.Making our conuntry better is our common mission.#NewIndia #cabinetreshuffle — Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) September 3, 2017

If reports are to be believed, Prabhu may get the environment or power portfolio. 

On August 23, Prabhu had informed that though he takes moral responsibility of the recent train derailment incidents, Prime Minister Modi asked him to wait. Prabhu took to Twitter and said, "In less than three years as Minister, I have devoted my blood and sweat for the betterment of the Railways. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I tried to overcome decades of neglect through systemic reforms in all areas, leading to unprecedented investment and milestones."

"New India, envisioned by Prime Minister Modi, deserves Railways, which is efficient and modern. I promise that is the path on which Railways is progressing now," he further said. "I am extremely pained by the unfortunate accidents, injuries to the passengers and loss of precious lives. It has caused me deep anguish. I met Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, taking full moral responsibility. He has asked me to wait."

The Congress had also demanded Prabhu's resignation after the derailment of the Puri-Haridwar Kalinga Utkal Express, which claimed the lives of 23 people and left more than 100 injured, at Muzaffarnagar's Khatauli region on August 19 evening.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Cabinet ministers and Ministers of State and said their wisdom "will add immense value" to his government. "I congratulate all those who have taken oath today. Their experience and wisdom will add immense value to the council of ministers," Modi tweeted.

I congratulate all those who have taken oath today. Their experience & wisdom will add immense value to the Council of Ministers. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 3, 2017

He specifically congratulated Nirmala Sitharaman, Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for being elevated to the Cabinet. Nine others, including former diplomat Hardeep Singh Puri, were made Ministers of States.

I congratulate my colleagues @dpradhanbjp, @PiyushGoyal, @nsitharaman and @naqvimukhtar on joining the Union Cabinet. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 3, 2017

Apart from Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, took the oath as the Cabinet ministers at the ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 

Pradhan is known to have spearheaded one of Prime Minister Modi's main schemes - the "Give it Up" plan for people to forego subsidised cooking gas or LPG voluntarily. Beside managing to maintain ties with the Opposition parties, Naqvi has done wonders for the Union Government as the spokesperson in the Parliament and outside.

Nirmala Sitharaman, serving as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as well as a Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs under the Ministry of Finance headed by Arun Jaitley, also took the oath.

Sitharaman had travelled to China for a BRICS meeting, in the middle of a lengthy standoff at the border over Doklam.