In the expansion on Wednesday, minister of state for finance and corporate affairs, Anurag Singh Thakur took oath as the cabinet minister. Before him,Shanta Kumar,Virbhadra Singh, Anand Sharma and JP Nadda he is the fifth leader from state to hold cabinet rank. Veteran Congress leader Sukh Ram had held the portfolio of Union minister of state for Telecommunication (independent charge).
Anurag Thakur is the 4th term Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Hamirpur Parliamentary constituency of Himachal Pradesh. Within Parliament he has served as Chairman of theParliamentary Standing Committeeon IT and Member ofPublic Accounts Committee. During the 16th Lok Sabha, he was appointed as the Chief Whip, Lok Sabha, becoming the youngest to assume the post.