Modi to kick Gujarat, Maharashtra celebrations on Feb 4

While the Gujarat CM will inaugurate the celebrations on February 4, the next day Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has been specially invited to a function for releasing of a 'Gaurav Granth', a book featuring the contribution of prominent Gujaratis in various fields in the region.

Besides the two functions, a grand exhibition of arts, handicrafts, products manufactured by Gujarati entrepreneurs would be on display at the SCZCC premises. Folk artists from Gujarat and well know artists will perform at cultural shows to be organized on the occasion, entry for which will be free. "We are trying to make this a memorable event," said Parekh.

"As part of the celebrations a food festival will also be held where people can enjoy healthy and special dishes from Gujarat. We have formed separate committees to look after different aspects related to the three-day event so that not only Gujaratis but also other people of the region get a taste of our culture, cuisine and arts," said Parekh. "17 dignitaries including Narendra Modi, Chavan, Union minister Praful Patel and ex-speaker Arun Gujarathi and several ministers from the Modi government will be gracing the occasion," said Parekh.

Modi to visit Juhapura, draw devt plan

The move had been initiated before the controversy broke out over statements of Maulana Ghulam Mohammed Vastanvi, the newly-appointed vice-chancellor of Darul Uloom, praising Gujarat's 'inclusive' economic growth. Some years back, a similar statement by Mufti Shabbir Ahmed Siddiqui, Imam of Ahmedabad's Jama Masjid, praising development in Gujarat had created furore in the community.

The meeting is scheduled in mid-February. But the date may change if the heat generated by Vastanvi's statements does not cool off. If the meeting does take place, it could mean a complete sea-change for Juhapura, a place where Gujarat Police used to often come looking for terror suspects.

Political sources say the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has been directed to pump resources into Juhapura, the habitation nearest to the grand Sarkhej Roza, a Sufi monument as old as Ahmedabad, which will be celebrating its 600th birthday on February 26. AMC is drawing up a dossier that includes Sarkhej Roza as a proposed World Heritage Site, in the overall bid before Unesco for declaring Ahmedabad a World Heritage City.

In fact, a recent memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the AMC and Archeological Survey of India ( ASI), which allows AMC to develop the surroundings of monuments, is precisely aimed at sprucing up the heritage of Ahmedabad.

"I won't be surprised to see Juhapura completely transformed one year from now," says a BJP leader. Such a move would of course win more admirers for Modi in the Muslim community — something he requires to silence NDA ally and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar who kept him out of the Bihar assembly elections.

Narendra Modi expands cabinet, reshuffles portfolios

Two of those sworn-in, Parmar and Patel, were already parliamentary secretaries. This is the second cabinet expansion in six months and follows less than a week after Modi inducted eight partymen as chairmen of state public sector boards and corporations.

With this expansion, Modi has completed the ministerial strength of 27 permitted under the constitutional arrangement.

The new inductees were allotted portfolios later in the day.

While Liladhar Vaghela was given labour and employment, Mohan Kunderia got rural development, Jaydratsinh Parmar roads and buildings, Jitendra Sukhadia tourism, food and civil supplies and non-resident Gujaratis(NRSs), Ishvarbhai Patel cooperation, sports, youth and cultural affairs, and Ranjit Gilitwala cottage industries and planning.

The portfolios of three other ministers of state were reshuffled.

Minister of state Saurabh Patel, who earlier held civil aviation, cottage industries, salt industries, printing and stationery (independent charge), industries, mines, minerals, finance, energy and petrochemicals, now gives up cottage industries, salt industries, printing and stationary.

Minister of state Jashwant Bhabhor, who earlier held tribal development, rural development, labour and employment, has shed rural development and labour and employment. He has picked up panchayat and rural housing.

Similarly, minister of state Parbat Ahir, who had water supply, cooperation, health and family welfare, has given up cooperation portfolio.