The ever-smiling D V Sadananda Gowda became the fourth Union cabinet minister to take oath on Thursday cementing his stature in the brand new Modi cabinet. Despite competition from other Vokkaliga MPs like Shobha Karandlaje and Pratap Simha, Modi retained Gowda in his cabinet, a move that came as a surprise to many, considering that Gowda had been reassigned from the all-important Railway ministry to a lesser known Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.From starting off a student activist with the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in Udupi, Gowda has come a long way to becoming a minister in the Modi government for the second time. Although hailing from Malnad region, the former CM fought a tough battle against Congress’ Krishna Byre Gowda in Bangalore North constituency to make it to the 17th Lok Sabha.

Narendra Modi’s second innings as the Prime Minister, D V Sadananda Gowda came on to the ‘oath-taking crease’ at number four. Nirmala Seetharaman, who also got another stint asa minister, was sworn in at number five. Last time, Gowda took oath at number seven and late Ananth Kumar at number 13.
DVS has seen a meteoric rise in politics since 1980s. An advocate by profession, he graduated in Science from St Philomena’s College in Puttur and then went on to pursue law from Udupi. Politics came calling for Gowda when he became the general secretary of the law college union. After practising as lawyer in Sullia and Puttur, he was selected as Public Prosecutor in Uttara Kananda. Soon, he dumped the black coat for politics. In the early 1980s, he became the secretary of BJP’s state Yuva Morcha. In 1994, he was first elected as MLA from Puttur.

He later worked as deputy leader of opposition in the assembly during SM Krishna’s tenure.In 2004, BJP chose him to take on the formidable then chief minister M Veerappa Moily in Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha seat, and he won easily. Gowda led BJP to win in the state assembly in 2008, opening the party’s doors to South India. When BS Yeddyurappa had to step down following the Lokayukta report on Ballari mining in August 2011, he chose Sadananda Gowda as his successor. But within a year, Gowda had to make way for a Jagadish Shettar due to internal bickering in the party. Gowda got another huge break when he was made a Cabinet minister in 2014.

Pralhad Joshi | 57

As if a replacement to late Ananth Kumar, four-time Member of Parliament Pralhad Joshi was inducted into Modi’s cabinet on Thursday. The 57-year-old Brahmin face of BJP in Dharwad checks all boxes of caste equation, Sangh’s backing, fluency in Hindi and English, much like Ananth Kumar.  “It is a huge responsibility, and not just an opportunity”, Joshi told TNIE.Despite being a four-time MP, this is Pralhad’s first stint as Union Minister. Joshi’s induction is sure to strengthen the support base BJP has in North Karnataka where it swept all seats clean this election. Joshi, who has served earlier as the state president of the BJP, in the 16th Lok Sabha was part of the pool of MPs who chaired the House proceedings in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. He was also chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on petroleum and natural gas.

Pralhad Joshi, who won with one of the highest margins in Karnataka, is among the fresh faces chosen for Narendra Modi’s new team of ministers. Joshi has never enjoyed any position as a minister until now, though he has served as a chairman of the standing committee on petroleum and natural gas. When contacted, Joshi told The New Indian Express, “It is a huge responsibility, and not just an opportunity. We need to work hard. We have a good Central team and seniors are there to guide us.’’

Young Pralhad Joshi was inspired by Jaganath Joshi, who was then the national vice-president of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh. “Pralhad has risen from the ranks and is not a parachuted leader,” said one of his friends in Hubballi. He rose to prominence with the Rashtradhwaj Gaurav Samrakshana Samiti held at Idgah Maidan, Hubballi in the early 1990s. He was also arrested during the agitation. He subsequently contested for Parliament and won the LS elections in 2004. The former BJP state president had kept the flock together when the party suffered a drubbing in the 2014 assembly polls. He has not looked back since then. He is known for his contributions to Hubballi -Ankola railway line, upgradation of Hubballi and Dharwad railway terminuses and Hubballi airport and establishment of IIT in Dharwad.

His friends in Hubballi remember him as a teenager who would organise the cultural event--Rama Seva Saptaha in Railway Colony where he resided. Former Union Minister H N Ananth Kumar was his good friend.

Suresh Angadi | 64

Among the fresh faces in the cabinet is four-time MP from Belgaum, Suresh Angadi. The Lingayat strongman took oath as Minister of State on Thursday along with three more MPs from Karnataka, including Rajya Sabha MP Nirmala Sitharaman. Ever since his first election in 2004, Angadi has never lost a single election and his induction into the cabinet is a message of solidarity with the Lingayat community to which state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa belongs.Speaking to TNIE on Thursday, Angadi said, “I want to be a bridge between the state and the Centre. I want to take up issues regarding employment generation, especially locally, drinking water, improvement in public school infrastructure and so on. PM Modi has blessed me with this sowbhagya.” Wife Mangala said, “As a Union Minister, he now has a big responsibility and I am confident he will handle the job well.’’

From running a small cement shop in Belagavi, Suresh Angadi has come a long way in politics. He is a four-time Lok Sabha member hailing from the dominant Lingayat community.Born on June 1, 1955 in K K Koppa, Angadi did his early schooling there. After his bachelor’s degree in Commerce, he pursued a law course from B V Bellad Law College, Belagavi. Besides his cement business, Angadi runs the Angadi Institute of Technology and Engineering in Belagavi and has built several commercial and residential complexes in the city.  He is married to Mangala and the couple have two daughters.

Although he was not so popular as a BJP leader when he first entered politics during the time when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister, the party elevated him to the post of Belagavi district BJP president. His rapport with leaders and people in Belagavi helped him get a BJP ticket for the first time in 2004. He surprised everyone by defeating sitting MP Amarsing Patil (Congress) to register his first win.

Since then, there was no looking back for Angadi as he won three Lok Sabha elections back to back from Belagavi. In 2009, he again defeated Amarsing Patil riding on the B S Yeddyurappa wave. The Congress left no stone unturned to defeat him in 2014, but could not stop him from a hatrick win. He defeated Congress candidate Laxmi Hebbalkar.

This year, many leaders had opposed fielding him again. To everyone’s surprise, he won the election by a mammoth margin of 3.91 lakh votes against Congress party’s V S Sadhunavar.

With inputs from Mangaluru, Hubballi and Belagavi