New Delhi: With Sushma Swaraj sworn in as Foreign Minister in Modi’s cabinet on Monday, the MEA is all set to experience the women power. Swaraj was elected six times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.Â
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While Sushma has been given a key post, Modi will continue to navigate the foreign policy himself and it remains to be seen how he does a tight rope balance on diplomacy as one of his arch rivals now occupies the slot of the foreign minister. India’s current foreign secretary Sujatha Singh is the second woman to hold the position after Nirupama Rao. She assumed office on 1 August 2013 succeeding Ranjan Mathai.
Sushma Swaraj has been BJP’s leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha during the past five years and her superb performance in parliament debates made her the most popular woman leader of the right wing party.
She was minister for information and broadcasting in Atal Bihari Vaypayee’s cabinet, during which live coverage of parliament proceedings was started.
At the age of 25, she became Haryana’s youngest Cabinet Minister and has also served as Chief Minister of Delhi.
Swaraj is believed to be a camp follower of BJP patriarch Lal Krishna Advani and was seen as belonging to a group that initially opposed Modi’s elevation as Prime Ministerial candidate.