BJP national vice president-cum-Koderma MP Annapurna Devi was inducted to the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. Annapurna, the first time MP from Koderma took oath as Minister of State. On the call of the party organisation, she reached Delhi on Tuesday morning and had talks with senior BJP leadership including BJP national organization secretary BL Santosh.
Annapurna Devi, who left the post of RJD State president in the last parliamentary election joining BJP, first became State vice-president and later she was elevated to the post of BJP national vice president along with co-incharge of party in Haryana.
Annapurna reached the Lok Sabha by defeating Grand Alliance candidate-cum-then JVM leader Babulal Marandi from Koderma. However, former Chief Minister Marandi joined BJP in 2020.
Annapurna's husband Late Ramesh Prasad Yadav was Minister in RJD’s Rabri Devi Government of Bihar in the year 1998.
Annapurna Devi entered politics after her husband's untimely demise. Annapurna won the 1998 Assembly bye-elections and thereafter Jharkhand Assembly elections in 2000, 2005 and 2009. Annapurna Devi was made a minister in the 2013 Hemant Soren Government in Jharkhand.
In 2014, she had to face defeat from the Koderma Assembly seat to BJP leader Neera Yadav.
With the appointment of Annapurna Devi as Minister, Jharkhand has got one more representation in Modi’s Cabinet. Prior to Annapurna, Khunti MP and former Chief Minister Arjun Munda is another face from State in the Union Cabinet. Munda presently holds the position of Minister of tribal affairs.
The appointment of Annapurna Devi as State Minister in the Union Cabinet is surprising as many two to three times BJP MPs from State were optimistic of getting a chance in the Modi Cabinet.
Meanwhile, the State BJP leadership has welcomed the inclusion of Annapurna Devi in the Union Cabinet. State BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Deepak Prakash expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leadership for giving one more Cabinet berth to Jharkhand.
Sources said Annapurna Devi has been made Minister from Yadav quota. The BJP by elevating Annapurna wants to reach out to the Yadav community dominant in Bihar and parts of Jharkhand apart from giving fair representation to Women.
