Gadkari Pledged as Cabinet Minister; Jadhav and Khadse as Ministers of State

When Nitin Gadkari’s name was announced during the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new Cabinet at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, the crowd watching live in Nagpur exploded in joy on Sunday evening. This historic moment marked Gadkari’s third consecutive term as a Union Minister. His name was announced after Amit Shah’s, making him fourth in seniority after Modi, reflecting his significant stature. Gadkari has been a Lok Sabha member since 2014, consistently winning from Nagpur. There were fluctuations in this year's margin win, however, he made the position in the ministry cabinet. 

Despite rumours and political debates, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) confirmed Gadkari’s candidacy for the Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency. When his name was absent from the initial BJP candidates list, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray offered him a seat, but the announcement of Gadkari’s candidacy by the BJP was a smash on rumours. Throughout his campaign, Gadkari Didn't criticise his opponent, Congress candidate Vikas Thakre, despite facing attacks. Supported by all Opposition parties, Thakre couldn't prevent Gadkari's victory, which was secured by a margin of over 1.37 lakh votes.

Gadkari's influence in the BJP is significant, highlighted by his role in seconding Narendra Modi’s leadership in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). During the swearing-in ceremony, as Gadkari walked towards the podium, he received a round of applause and cheers from the NDA members.