Just hours before the swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a crucial meeting with NDA leaders, many of whom are anticipated to be appointed as ministers in the new government. Seated in the front row were BJP veterans and leaders from NDA allies.
Key Attendees: The meeting saw the attendance of prominent figures from Modi’s previous cabinet, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Dr S. Jaishankar, Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Piyush Goyal. Other notable leaders present included Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Jyotiraditya Scindia, JDU’s Rajiv Ranjan Singh, HAM’s Jitan Ram Manjhi, RLD’s Jayant Chaudhary, JDS’s HD Kumaraswamy, LJP’s Chirag Paswan, and Jitin Prasada.
Cabinet Composition: The BJP, having fallen below the majority mark in the Lok Sabha, now relies on its NDA allies for a stable majority. As a result, the new cabinet is expected to accommodate several allies. Sources indicate that N. Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP and Nitish Kumar’s JDU are likely to secure at least one cabinet berth and one Minister of State post each.
Portfolios and Key Figures: Outgoing Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Roads and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari are expected to retain their portfolios. Nirmala Sitharaman and Dr. S. Jaishankar are also likely to continue in their respective roles as Finance Minister and External Affairs Minister.
Potential New Ministers: Among the allies, Chirag Paswan, HD Kumaraswamy, Anupriya Patel, Jayant Chaudhary, and Jitan Ram Manjhi are likely candidates for ministerial positions. Buldhana MP Prataprao Jadhav from Shiv Sena and Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athawale are also expected to join the cabinet. BJP leaders Pralhad Joshi, Manohar Lal Khattar, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Jyotiraditya Scindia may also secure ministerial roles. Additionally, Sarbananda Sonowal, Kiren Rijiju, G. Kishan Reddy, Shobha Karandlaje, BL Verma, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Nityanand Rai, and Giriraj Singh are in consideration.
NDA Dynamics: With the BJP’s tally at 240 seats, 32 short of the majority mark, leaders like Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar have gained significant influence. BJP sources have indicated that they will retain the four key portfolios—Home, Defence, Finance, and External Affairs.
TDP and JDU Demands: TDP, with 16 seats, and JDU, with 12 seats, are reportedly seeking prominent central roles. Former JDU chief Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur are potential ministerial candidates. TDP leaders Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani and Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu are also expected to receive ministerial posts, as announced by party leader Jay Galla on X.
Prime Minister Modi is set to take the oath of office at 7:15 pm today, marking the commencement of his third term. The final announcement of his new team will reveal how the demands of the allies have been addressed and the overall composition of the new cabinet.
