Cabinet expansion: Biggest winners and losers

Suresh Prabhu

Day's biggest winner. He got to dump the Shiv Sena, which had sidelined him completely and join the Modi government as the minister for the crucial railways portfolio. PM has established he has huge respect for Prabhu's administrative abilities.

Manohar Parrikar

He didn't want to move to Delhi from Goa initially. But occupying raksha mantri's chair is a big leg up for former Goa CM Manohar Parrikar as he joins all powerful cabinet committee on security in his first entry into Union cabinet. Will oversee one of the most ambitious weapons purchase programmes in India's history and push Modi's “Make in India” vision in the defence sector. Needs to show he can be decisive apart from being honest.

Chaudhary Birendra Singh

The BJP is usually highly suspicious of lateral entrants, especially those from the Congress. But the Jat strongman from Haryana has been given the important portfolio of rural development, which commands the MNREGA war-chest. His role is also to attempt to assuage the Jats of Haryana for making a Punjabi the state's CM.

Jayant Sinha

Yashwant Sinha is not in PM Modi's good books but that hasn't stopped him from assigning Jayant Sinha the key role of MoS Finance. He will play the role of global financial brand ambassador for Modi and try to woo foreign investors into India. Given his Harvard education and international work exposure with corporates like McKinsey, ideally suited for his new role.

JP Nadda

Key man in Amit Shah's team now rewarded for his organisational work in the party. Highly regarded by both PM and the BJP president. He will need to prove he is not just a good party organiser but has what it takes to be a successful health minister. A former lawyer, he has been picked for the health ministry to replace Dr Harsh Vardhan.

Dr Mahesh Sharma

Qualified doctor and MP from Gautam Budhnagar in Uttar Pradesh. Runs an important hospital in Noida, where important BJP and RSS leaders undergo treatment. He was rewarded with the relatively high profile portfolio of culture and tourism; significant because he was not in the reckoning to be a minister.

Biggest losers

Sadanand Gowda

Former Karnataka CM loses his high-profile railways portfolio and shunted to the less important law and justice department. While he holds a LLB degree, he can hardly be described as a prominent lawyer. Modi was unhappy with his work at overhauling Indian Railways. He will be a marked man in the law ministry.

Ravishankar Prasad

From having three high profile ministries, Prasad ends up losing the one ministry he coveted the most -- law. While he retains telecom and IT, he will realise that the PM has clipped his wings in the cabinet expansion. He had attempted to amend antiquated laws, but could not control the rage of the judiciary against the government.

General VK Singh

Loses independent charge of development of Northeast affairs to Dr Jitendar Singh, now just a minister with Independent charge of statistics and programme implementation, which is a politically insignificant ministry. He retains MoS status in MEA and overseas Indians.

Shripad Naik

North Goa MP loses charge of high profile tourism and culture ministry. He is shunted to completely insignificant Ayush department as minister with independent charge. Does not get along well with Parrikar and has had his wings clipped since PM could not have had two senior ministers from the small state of Goa.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal

The Akalis were hoping that the PM will give additional work to Harsimrat Badal given that no new Akali minister was sworn-in. Neither the CM nor the deputy CM attended the swearing-in. Harsimrat's portfolio has been left unchanged. She continues to hold charge of food processing, which does not even deserve a full-fledged ministry. BJP Punjab leaders are already making noises about future of ties with Akalis. Badals know that they could be next in line for a divorce after Shiv Sena.

Dr Harsh Vardhan

Shunted out from the important health ministry to the far less high profile ministry of earth sciences and science and technology. Might turn out to be only a temporary blow since the PM seems to be freeing him up to take on Arvind Kejriwal in the mega battle to be the next CM of Delhi.