Smriti Irani Get I&B Ministry, NS Tomar Given Urban Development

NEW DELHI:
Textiles Minister Smriti Irani was given the additional charge of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry after M Venkaiah Naidu resigned from the Cabinet to contest the vice-presidential poll.
The portfolio of urban development, which too was with Naidu, was given to Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment. The BJP had yesterday decided to field Naidu as NDA’s candidate for the post of vice president.
Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu is the BJP’s choice for Vice Presidential candidate against Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi, the opposition’s nominee. Naidu will file his nomination on Tuesday for the August 5 election.
The choice confirms the importance that the party attaches to improving its presence in south India, especially Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Like in the case of President, the BJP’s Vice President nominee enjoys a clear edge over the his opposition rival. With the backing of southern parties like AIADMK, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and YSR Congress, the government candidate is likely to win the votes of 557 MPs in the electoral college of 787 MPs.