New Delhi, May 30:  Former BJP president Amit Shah took oath as Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet for the second consecutive term on Thursday. With this, he has become the key minister in PM Modi's Cabinet Committee on Security.

Among the first name in PM Narendra Modi's Cabinet Committee on Security is current Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah. Initial reports from close party sources state that Shah is the front runner for the post of either Union Defence Ministry or Finance Ministry.

Considered as the closest associate of Narendra Modi, Shah held 12 portfolios during Modi's tenure as Chief Minister in 2002. The portfolios included Home, Law and Justice, Prison, Border Security, Civil Defence, Excise, Transport, Prohibition, Home Guards, Gram Rakshak Dal, Police Housing, and Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs.

Shah, along with Narendra Modi, helped BJP decimate the Congress in rural Gujarat in 1995 and created a network of 8,000 influential rural leaders in various villages. Later, when he was upgraded to senior positions in the party, he strengthened BJP not only in Gujarat, but also in neighbouring states like Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. In 2007, he improved his victory margin than 2002 Gujarat Assembly elections, which proved his mettle in state politics.

With Narendra Modi pitched for Prime Minister in 2014, Shah played a key role in making the base for him to gain popularity among the voters base in the country. Even party leaders stated that it was Shah who came with the popular phrase 'Abki Baar, Modi Sarkar'. Soon after the Narendra Modi formed a government, Shah - then BJP president - revamped the party and helped BJP formed government in over 20 states with the alliance in just five-years time.

The track record of Shah - during elections - is so successful that he defeated his political rival in Lok Sabha Elections 2019 from Gandhinagar seat by a margin of 5,42,842 votes. Under his leadership BJP, for the first time in history, secured 18 seats in West Bengal.

Now, with Arun Jaitley ill, Shah's importance in Team Modi 2.0 is influencing and will decide the fate of the nation with decisions on future policies.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 30, 2019 07:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).