Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inducted four new junior ministers, among whom first-time MLA from Himatnagar, north Gujarat, Praful Patel has been made junior home and jail minister after Amit Shah, now in jail for allegedly masterminding Sohrabuddin’s fake encounter, resigned from the Cabinet when he was
arrested by the CBI on July 25. Four ministers are Jamnagar MLA Vasuben Trivedi, junior minister for higher education and owmen and child development, Visavadar MLA Kanubhai Bhalala is junior minister for agriculture and water resources and Pradipsinh Jadeja is junior minister for law and justice and parliamentary affairs. Now, after induction of four new ministers, the Modi Cabinet strength goes to 21, including the chief minister himself. There are 10 Cabinet ministers and 11 junior ministers handling close to 50 departments of the state. Expansion of the Cabinet was necessitated after Mr Shah quit the government, as he was handling as many as 10 portfolios.