NEW DELHI, June 8: Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi is set to take the oath of office on Sunday for a historic third consecutive term, matching the record of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. This significant event comes amid intense discussions among BJP leadership and allies regarding the allocation of cabinet positions within the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
Senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, as well as party president J P Nadda, are in active consultations with allies such as N Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party, Nitish Kumar of JD(U), and Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, to finalize their representation in the new government.
There is an expectation that key portfolios such as home, finance, defence, and external affairs, along with the education and culture ministries, will remain with the BJP. Meanwhile, allies might secure between five to eight cabinet positions. Prominent figures like Shah and Singh are anticipated to retain their spots in the new Cabinet. Additionally, former chief ministers who secured victories in the Lok Sabha elections, including Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Basavaraj Bommai, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Sarbananda Sonowal, are strong contenders for ministerial roles.
Among the allies, Ram Mohan Naidu of the TDP, Lalan Singh, Sanjay Jha, and Ram Nath Thakur of the JD(U), as well as Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), are likely to be included in the government. It is speculated that either Singh or Jha will represent the JD(U) in the Cabinet.
Maharashtra and Bihar are expected to be focal points during the government formation process. The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance’s underperformance in Maharashtra and the opposition’s resurgence in Bihar will influence the allocation of ministerial roles, especially with state assembly elections looming in both states.
Internal organizational changes within the BJP will also play a crucial role in the finalization of ministerial candidates. Given that J P Nadda’s term was extended due to the Lok Sabha polls, the party’s leadership may consider sending seasoned leaders to the party organization while potentially offering Nadda a government position.
The BJP aims to project stability and continuity despite a notable reduction in its Lok Sabha seat tally from 303 to 240, falling short of the majority mark of 272. The party seeks to counter any perceptions of political instability following its unexpected performance in the elections.
The Government announced on Saturday that leaders from several neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Mauritius, will be attending the swearing-in ceremony, underscoring India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
