NEW DELHI: Jyotiraditya Scindia has been appointed as the Minister of Communications and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third-term Cabinet. This appointment marks a significant milestone in Scindia’s political journey, transitioning from a former Congress stalwart to a key player in the BJP-led government.
Scindia, 53, has been entrusted with crucial portfolios, reflecting his growing influence within the BJP since his departure from the Congress four years ago.
Scindia was previously the Minister of Civil Aviation. His political career has been marked by significant achievements, including his recent victory in the 2024 general elections from his longstanding Guna seat in Madhya Pradesh, where he secured a record margin of over 5 lakh votes.
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One of Scindia’s immediate challenges as the Minister of Communications is overseeing the 5G spectrum auction, a pivotal event for the telecom sector, set to commence on June 25. Additionally, he will play a crucial role in ensuring the survival of Vodafone Idea, a key player in India’s telecom market where the government holds the largest stake.
Scindia will also be responsible for implementing new telecom rules under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, within the first 100 days of the new government. These rules are expected to define the modalities for spectrum pricing and satellite spectrum usage, essential for the entry of global satellite communication giants like Eutelsat OneWeb, Elon Musk’s Starlink, and Amazon Kuiper into the Indian market.
Reflecting on his political journey, Scindia’s transition from Congress to BJP was a significant turning point. A former confidant of Rahul Gandhi, Scindia joined the BJP in 2020 after leading a group of Congress MLAs to abandon the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh during the Covid pandemic. He was immediately nominated to the Rajya Sabha and later took charge of the Civil Aviation portfolio in the Modi government.
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Scindia’s political career began after his father’s untimely death in a plane crash in 2001. Educated at Harvard and Stanford, he entered politics and won a by-election in 2002. He subsequently secured victories in the 2004, 2009, and 2014 general elections from Guna as a member of the Congress party. During his tenure in the Congress-led UPA government from 2007 to 2014, he served as Minister of State for Communications, Commerce and Industry, and Power.
His political acumen was evident in the 2018 Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, where he chaired the Congress campaign committee, contributing significantly to the party’s success. Despite this, he later shifted allegiance to the BJP, playing a pivotal role in their takeover of the state government.
Scindia’s family has deep roots in Indian royalty, with his mother belonging to Nepal’s royal family and his wife to Baroda’s Gaekwad family. Prime Minister Modi has often referred to Scindia as the “son-in-law of Gujarat,” highlighting his connections to the state.