High-level meetings were convened by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday to finalize the names of leaders who will receive ministerial positions. This comes a day before the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, led by Narendra Modi, is sworn in for a third consecutive term. Senior leaders involved in the process confirmed the details.
Distribution of Ministries to Allies
The BJP, which has secured 240 seats—32 short of the majority required to form the government—has garnered support from allies including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Janata Dal Secular (JDS), Janata Dal United (JDU), Apna Dal, and ten other parties. As a result, the party will allocate several ministries to these allies. The discussions have reportedly been “largely amicable,” with a consensus that the BJP will retain the key ministries of Defence, Finance, Home Affairs, and External Affairs. Allies such as the TDP, JDU, JDS, and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) are expected to receive cabinet berths and Minister of State (MoS) positions.
Meeting Details and Proposals
On Saturday, BJP President JP Nadda, along with Union Ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, met to finalize the list of leaders who will be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers. On Friday, the BJP high command had also met with NDA partners to discuss portfolio allocations.
A party functionary explained the proposed distribution method: “All allies with more than two lawmakers have to be accommodated. There is a proposal to give one cabinet berth to parties with at least five MPs and one MoS position for every two MPs.” If accepted, the TDP, with 14 MPs, could receive two to three cabinet positions and a couple of MoS roles. K. Rammohan Naidu and P. Chandrasekhar are among the names being considered for cabinet positions. The TDP is also interested in the Speaker’s post and ministries such as Urban Development, Social Justice, Roads and Highways, and Information Technology.
JDU and LJP Expectations
The JDU, which has 16 MPs, aims to secure ministries like Agriculture, Water Resources, Rural Development, and Railways. It is likely to get three cabinet posts in addition to MoS positions. Chirag Paswan from the LJP, a prominent Dalit leader from Bihar, is expected to receive one cabinet berth and one MoS position after his party won all five Lok Sabha seats it contested.
Smaller allies such as the RLD, Jana Sena, JDS, and HAM, which have three or fewer lawmakers, will also qualify for MoS positions. Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur and Andhra Pradesh’s Daggubati Purandeswari are anticipated to receive key roles, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is expected to secure one cabinet seat.
Representation and Speculations
The BJP is also considering factors such as caste, state, and gender representation. This includes representation from Kerala, where the BJP won for the first time, and Tamil Nadu, where the party significantly increased its vote share despite not winning any seats.
Calls have been made from the Prime Minister’s Office and Nadda’s office to those taking the oath. There is speculation about including some senior BJP leaders who have held positions in the organization or have been chief ministers or state ministers. For instance, a former chief minister elected to the Lok Sabha is rumored to be considered for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker.
Party Dynamics and Future Ministers
In the JDU, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will nominate members for the council of ministers. This follows previous tensions when RCP Singh resigned due to perceived closeness to the BJP. Kumar’s confidants, such as Sanjay Jha, Lallan Singh, and Ramnath Thakur, are frontrunners for ministerial positions.
The TDP is also expected to nominate trusted members, with speculation about new faces and lateral entries into the council of ministers. Names like Ram Mohan Naidu and Harish Balayogi are being considered.
Historical Context
In 2014, the BJP had 23 cabinet ministers, 11 ministers with independent charge, and 32 ministers of state. Four allies received cabinet berths, and two were made MoS. In 2019, the BJP had 21 cabinet berths, nine ministers with independent charge, and 24 ministers of state. Ram Vilas Paswan and Harsimrat Kaur Badal were notable ministers until their respective resignations. Recent changes have seen newer faces, with ongoing adjustments to accommodate the evolving political landscape.
The final list of ministers is expected to balance experience, regional representation, and the inclusion of new talents, ensuring a diverse and effective government as the NDA embarks on its third term under PM Modi’s leadership.
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