New Delhi — Former BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda has been appointed as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers in the Modi government, marking his return to a role he previously held from 2014 to 2019. Nadda, who hails from Bilaspur district in Himachal Pradesh, is the only cabinet minister from the state in the current government.
Nadda’s political journey began in 1993 when he was elected as the MLA from the Bilaspur Sadar seat in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly and subsequently became the Leader of the Opposition. He secured re-election in 1998, serving as the Health Minister in the state BJP government. Although he lost the assembly elections in 2003, he made a comeback in 2007 and was appointed as the Minister of Forest, Environment, Science, and Technology.
In 2010, due to rising differences with then-Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, Nadda resigned from his ministerial post and moved to Delhi, where he was appointed as the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party. His political career continued to ascend as he was elected to the Rajya Sabha in April 2012 and reappointed as the National General Secretary in 2013.
Nadda’s tenure as the Union Health Minister from 2014 to 2019 was marked by significant initiatives in public health. In 2019, he transitioned to party leadership, becoming the National Working President of the BJP on June 17. He was later elected unopposed as the National President of the BJP on January 20, 2020, a role he held until his recent return to the cabinet.
As his term as BJP President concludes this month, Nadda’s reappointment in 2024 as the Minister of Health and Family Welfare and his new role as Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers signifies a continued trust in his leadership and experience in the health sector. His return is expected to bring a renewed focus on health policies, family welfare initiatives, and the management of chemicals and fertilizers as the Modi government embarks on its new term.
