Modi Cabinet expansion LIVE: Javadekar elevated, 19 sworn in as MoS, 5 dropped

PHOTOS: Here are the 19 newly inducted ministers

The new portfolios will be made known this evening. Five ministers have tendered their resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They are Nihalchand, Ram Shankar Katheria, Sanwar Lal Jat, Manuskhbhai D Vasva and M K Kundariya.

Also Read: 3 new ministers from UP, PM Modi targets caste and vote banks for 2017

Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah have been deliberating on the expansion, keeping in mind the upcoming elections to the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as well as ensuring that other states where the party has emerged victorious have representation in the government.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, earlier in the day, tweeted her inability to attend the swearing-in ceremony. Read more about it, here.

The 19 new ministers inducted into Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s council of ministers. Click for a larger image.

We’re getting you the latest updates and reactions as they unfold:

3.30 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has convened a meeting of his council of ministers. It’s currently underway

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets newly inducted ministers #CabinetExpansion (Source: PMO) pic.twitter.com/75BJunvyKU

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 5, 2016

3.20 pm: President Pranab Mukherjee accepts the resignation of five Ministers of State from Council of Ministers

12.26 pm: “Council of Ministers is a team for the Prime Minister. The new team, with its new members, will prove its mettle,” Narendra Singh Tomar has said.

12.20 pm: “Will work to serve people in the best way, PM Modi has trusted us, gave this great opportunity,” newly uinducted MoS Anil Dave said.

12.00 pm: Five ministers have tendered their resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They are Nihalchand, Ram Shankar Katheria, Sanwar Lal Jat, Manuskhbhai D Vasva and M K Kundariya.

11. 41 am: The swearing-in ceremony has concluded.

11.40 am: Dr Subhash Bhambre, BJP MP representing Dhule, Maharashtra, has been sworn in as MoS.

11.38 am: PP Chaudhary, Lok Sabha MP representing Pali, Rajasthan, has been sworn in by President Pranab Mukherjee. He’s currently the Chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Offices of Profit

11.36 am: CR Chaudhary, Lok Sabha MP from Nagaur, Rajasthan has also been sworn in by President Pranab Mukherjee.

11.32 am: Anupriya Patel, Apna Dal MP representing  Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, has been sworn in as MoS by President Pranab Mukherjee. Read more about her, here.

11.30 am: BJP MP Mansukh Mandaviya, who represents Gujarat in Rajya Sabha, has been sworn in by President Pranab Mukherjee.

11. 28 am: BJP MP Krishna Raj has been sworn in by President Pranab. She represents  Shahjahanpur constituency of Uttar Pradesh. Read more about her, here.

11. 27 am: Ajay Tamta, Lok Sabha MP from Almora, Uttarakhand, has been sworn in by President Pranab Mukherjee. He took oath as Minister of State.

11.26 am: Mahendra Nath Pandey has been sworn in by President Pranab Mukherjee. He represents Chandauli in the 16th Lok Sabha. He took oath as MoS. Read more about him, here.

11.25 am: Jasvantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor, an MP representing Dahod, Gujarat, has been sworn in as MoS.

Rajya Sabha MP MJ Akbar has taken oath as MoS

11.24 am: Arjun Ram Meghwal, the BJP’s chief whip in Lok Sabha, has also been sworn in. He represents Bikaner, Rajasthan and has been a member of the House for two terms.

11.20 am: Former journalist and Rajya Sabha MP MJ Akbar has taken oath as Minister of State. He represents Madhya Pradesh in the House. Read more about him, here.

11.20 am: Parsottambhai Rupala, a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat has also been sworn in by President Pranab Mukherjee.

11.19 am: Anil Madhav Dave, Rajya Sabha MP representing Madhya Pradesh, has also taken oath. He was first elected to the House in 2009. He took oath as Minister of State.

11.16 am: Ramesh Chandappa, Lok Sabha MP from Karnataka, BJP MP sworn in as Minister of State

11. 16 am: Rajen Gohain has also taken oath as a minister in the Narendra Modi council of ministers. He’s an MP from Assam.

MoS Prakash Javadekar has taken oath as a Cabinet minister.

11.15 am: Ramdas Athawale, Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra, has also taken oath and will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s council of ministers.

11.12 am: Ramesh Jigajinagi, MP from Bijapur, has taken oath. He served on the consultation committee at the Ministry of External Affairs.

11. 10 am: SS Ahluwalia has taken oath as a minister. He’s a vice president of the BJP and represents Darjeeling. Read more here.

11.08 am: Faggan Kulaste has taken oath. Kulaste represents the Mandla constituency of Madhya Pradesh. He took oath as a MoS. Read more here.

11.07 am: Vijay Goel, BJP MP has been sworn in as MoS. He was elected to Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan.

11.05 am: Prakash Javadekar has been elevated to Cabinet rank from MoS Independent.

Shri @PrakashJavdekar is sworn in as Cabinet Minister #ModiCabinet #ModiCabinetRejig pic.twitter.com/xPFpafQhcC

— PIB India (@PIB_India) July 5, 2016

11.00 am: President Pranab Mukherjee has arrived at the ceremony hall. The programme is set to begin following the national anthem

Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee and PM Modi with the newly inducted Ministers #CabinetExpansion pic.twitter.com/Y7qhgd8dNa

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 5, 2016

10.58 am: Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and other senior ministers have arrived at Rashtrapati Bhavan

10.55 am: Reports suggest there will be no change in the Cabinet. All new ministers will be given MoS positions as well as Independent charge.

10.50 am: Happy Birthday to Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan! He’s currently Union Minister of Food & Public Distribution, Consumer Affairs.

10.40 am: Shiv Sena MP and Union Minister Anant Geete will attend the oath-taking ceremony of newly inducted Ministers in Cabinet. Another MP from Maharashtra – Ramdas Athawale will be sworn-in today

10.20 am: ‘His wish is my command’

“Amit Shahji has asked me to work with him for the party, I told him, “his wish is my command”. PM Modi and Amit Shah have given responsibility to new people, I welcome them,” Ram Shankar Katheria told news agency ANI.

10.15 am: In an interaction with a group of journalists, the Prime Minister underlined that he was only “expanding” his cabinet and not “changing” it. He said the expansion was a natural event after two years. Read more about that interaction, here.

10. 00 am: These two MPs, set to be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers, have taken the greener option to Rashtrapati Bhavan

Delhi: Mansukh Mandaviya & Arjun Meghwal leave for President’s House on a cycle,will be inducted in #Cabinet,today pic.twitter.com/F1dFGALj2I

— ANI (@ANI_news) July 5, 2016

9.30 am: Read our interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he shares details of his first two years. Read it here.

9.00 am: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has clarified she won’t be able to attend the swearing-in ceremony. “I am unable to attend the swearing in ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan since I have a meeting with Foreign Minister of Hungary. I congratulate and welcome all my colleagues joining the Council of Ministers.”

Media – Pl avoid the headline : ‘Sushma skips Oath Ceremony’.

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) July 5, 2016

The first council of ministers expansion of the Narendra Modi government took place in November 2014, which saw a few changes in the Cabinet including the induction of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. To know more about the last cabinet expansion, click here.