Eyes on Rajasthan polls, Centre replaces Rijiju with Meghwal as law minister

Many BJP supporters argue that the move will have no concrete impact on Rajasthan Assembly elections

| Updated: 18 May, 2023 12:09 pm IST

Union minister Kiren Rijiju (left) and Arjun Ram Meghwal (right)

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly polls, the Modi government has appointed state BJP heavyweight Arjun Ram Meghwal as India’s new law minister, replacing Arunachal Pradesh MP Kiren Rijiju.

Meghwal currently serves as the minister of state (MoS) for parliamentary affairs and culture. With this appointment, Meghwal’s responsibilities expand to include the important ministry of law and justice. He will handle the new ministry as a minister of independent charge.

In a notification, the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday said that President Droupadi Murmu has elevated Meghwal’s standing in the government on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

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According to the release, “Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State, will be assigned the independent charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice, in addition to his existing portfolios, in place of Shri Kiren Rijiju.”

Rijiju has now been assigned the ministry of earth sciences, previously under Union minister Jitendra Singh.

Rijiju took charge as the law and justice minister on July 8, 2021, after serving as the minister of state (Independent Charge) of youth affairs and sports from May 2019 to July 2021.

The cabinet reshuffle has drawn reactions from various political parties. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader, Priyanka Chaturvedi, took to Twitter to indirectly question the reasons behind Rijiju’s removal as the law minister.

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“Is it because of the Maharashtra judgement embarrassment? Or the Modani-SEBI investigation?” she asked. Meanwhile, Alka Lamba from the Congress party said that the Central government removed Rijiju to protect its image.

The reshuffling of portfolios aims to streamline the functioning of the Union Cabinet and optimize the allocation of responsibilities within the government.

Is it expected that Meghwal’s elevation will have an impact favourable to the BJP in the coming Assembly election in his home state, Rajasthan where the saffron camp is looking to dethrone chief minister Ashok Gehlot.