After nearly 18 hours of anticipation, the suspense surrounding the portfolios of the 30 Cabinet ministers finally dissipated.
Throughout the wait, ministers and their aides remained glued to television screens and constantly refreshed websites, eagerly awaiting the “communique” from Rashtrapati Bhavan.
It wasn’t until they convened for the first Cabinet meeting of the new government at Lok Kalyan Marg that their curiosity was appeased.
Upon their arrival, each minister found an envelope on their seat, containing not only their assigned portfolios but also the names of the ministers of state attached to their ministries, sources disclosed.
In previous terms under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the President’s secretariat typically issued the communique by afternoon. However, this time, the wait was prolonged.
Unlike in 2014, when several portfolios were leaked on the day of swearing-in, this time the details remained tightly under wraps until the conclusion of the Cabinet meeting.
It was only after the meeting adjourned around 6:30 pm that names began flashing on TV screens and websites.
The final list of portfolios was officially unveiled at approximately 7:30 pm, marking the moment when ministers of state, including those with independent charge, learned about their designated ministries. T
his method of distribution, with portfolios disclosed in written form within envelopes, may have been a novel experience for the ministers.