The Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance government that took oath on Thursday appointed Dr Harsh Vardhan as the minister of science and technology. He is also given the charge of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Harsh Vardhan also held the same portfolios during the Modi government's first stint in 2014.

Vardhan is an ENT surgeon by profession. He associated himself with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh during his days as a medical student in Kanpur. He has received the World Health Organisation’s Director-General’s Commendation Medal for his contribution to society. In the general elections 2019, Vardhan has retained the Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi, defeating Congress' Jai Prakash Agarwal and AAP's Pankaj Gupta in a triangular battle.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won a landslide 303 seats out of the total of 543 while the opposition Congress party won just eight more seats than its abysmal 2014 performance. In all, BJP and its allies -- the NDA -- won 353 seats with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance topped 92 seats.

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First Published:May 31, 2019 1:43 PM IST