For Pralhad Joshi, 56, the reward of a Union cabinet berth comes at a crucial time. The four-time MP from Dharwad in Karnataka was overlooked for a ministerial post in the first term of the Narendra Modi government in favour of two other Brahmin leaders from the state, Ananth Kumar and Anantkumar Hegde
After winning his first term as an MP in 2004, Joshi grew in terms of the responsibilities he was given. This was topped by him being made the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2013, a post he held until former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa took over three years later.
In the Lok Sabha election this time, Joshi proved his mettle. He was up against a familiar foe in Vinay Kulkarni of the Congress, which projected the election as a battle between a Brahmin and a Lingayat, the dominant community in the northern Mumbai-Karnataka region.
Joshi was able to tap the anger against the movement for a separate Lingayat religion, which had been spearheaded by Kulkarni, and he won by over 200,000 votes.