Sushil Modi fails to get entry into new Modi team

One of the surprising omissions in the revamped Narendra Modi team is former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who was even speculated as someone who could helm the Ministry of Finance in case the Prime Minister chose to have a new person at the helm.

This is the second time in months that Sushil Modi got a shock from the BJP central leadership. He was earlier denied another term as Bihar Deputy Chief Minister under Nitish Kumar after JD(U)-BJP returned to power.

One of the reasons for his exit from Bihar politics was speculated to be his soft approach towards Kumar and JD(U) and that BJP wanted a more offensive team to corner its partner, which had lost ground to the saffron party.

Soon after the Bihar Assembly elections, Sushil Modi was brought to Rajya Sabha by the BJP central leadership amid speculation that he would get a plum portfolio when a reshuffle takes place.

Track live updates of PM Modi's Cabinet reshuffle here

However, the Bihar leader was not as lucky as former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who had to make way for Himanta Biswa Sarma.

One of the reasons for Sushil Modi's omission could be the induction of JD(U)'s RCP Singh and LJP's Pashu Pati Kumar Paras from Bihar, as the number of ministers from the state could rise.

The reshuffle also saw R K Singh, an MP from Bihar, getting a promotion to the Cabinet.