So how did Poonam Mahajan miss the chance of becoming Union Minister of State? The story that is now grist for the gossip mills is that the sole reason for her being sidelined is the rivalry between her late father, BJP leader Pramod  Mahajan and the present leadership. Pramod Mahajan was the creation of LK Advani and his relationship with the party is well known. However, Poonam is in the good books of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and she may yet secure a ministerial berth in the next Cabinet reshuffle according to insiders.

And there's talk of other misses also like young leaders such as Anurag Thakur, Swapan Dasgupta and Nishi Kant Dubey and elders like Hukum Narain Yadav from Bihar.

Soon Prem Kumar Dhumal will become a chief minister, and therefore son Anurag thakur will be bypassed. Also Thakur is occupying an important position as the BCCI chief. Swapan dasgupta almost made it as MoS HRD but could not manage it because a major claimant was Dr Subramanian Swamy. Also, the party does not want two editors in top posts after MJ Akbar was appointed MoS External Affairs.