Mohanbhai Kundariya figuring in the list of the five ministers dropped in the Cabinet expansion that took place on Tuesday has raised an eyebrow in the media circles as Kundariya was perceived as “doing well”.
A junior minister in the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Ministry Kundariya was entrusted with the department of cooperation. A mild-mannered Kundariya was advocating the case of NAFED bail-out package strongly in the government. His departure is sure to slow down the process, said several cooperators Indian Cooperative talked to.
Kundariya’s supporters say it is not the lack of performance rather a higher call back home in Gujarat which saw his departure. Taming Patel agitation is one of the concerns of the Modi govt and Kundariya is going to play an important role in this, said sources. Kundariya is a Patel and is said to wield considerable clout with the local community.
Soon after the swearing-in Kundariya left for Gujarat along with Amit Shah and new ministers from Gujarat, says his friends underling his strong ties with Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Recently Kundariya took PM Modi to Rajkot for a closed door interaction with the farmers. Excited with the meeting PM Modi tweeted later ”Interacted with a delegation of farmers. Discussed various issues relating to agriculture & farmer welfare”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expanded his Council of Ministers for the second time since 2014.
The 19 new Ministers are from 10 States keeping an eye on the 
coming Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand as well as bolstering the talent pool of “doers”, albeit mostly with junior Ministers.
Besides Kundariya, the four other ministers dropped from the Cabinet are Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Nihal Chand Meghwal, MoS HRD Ram Shankar Katheria, MoS Water Resources Sanwar Lal Jat and MoS Tribal Affairs Manuskhbhai D. Vasva.
