Former Union Minister of State for AYUSH and North Goa’s fifth-term MP Shripad Naik was on Thursday inducted into the Union Cabinet. He will serve as a Minister of State (with Independent Charge) in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
Mr. Naik, who won the North Goa Lok Sabha seat by defeating his nearest Congress rival Girish Chodankar by 80,247 votes, has also served as a Union Minister of State in the Atal Behari Vajpayee-led NDA government.
“Hearty congratulations to Shripadbhau Naik on being inducted into Union Cabinet again. I am sure Goa will be largely benefited with his induction. Wishing him all the best,” said Narendra Sawaikar, Goa BJP spokesperson and former MP of South Goa.
In the previous Modi government, Mr. Naik served as Union Minister of State for Tourism, but in a reshuffle was made Union Minister of State with Independent charge of the AYUSH Ministry.
After late chief minister Manohar Parrikar, Mr. Naik is the next seniormost BJP leader in Goa.
