Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi is set to be sworn in for a third consecutive term on Sunday at 7:15 pm At Rashtrapati Bhavan. By itself, before the ceremony, he is supposed to provide the list of his council of ministers. BJP has 240 seats in the Lok Sabha and is still 32 short of a majority, the party reaching out for allies like the TDP and JD (U).
Agreed with the senior leadership of JP Nadda, Rajnath Singh, and Amit Shah with the TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar and the Shiv Sena Eknath Shinde. Looking at organizational theory and matrix, the BJP will want to control the essential ministries such as Home, Finance, Defence, and Foreign Affairs, Education and Culture, and any other ministry that suits its goals.
Preparations underway at the Rashtrapati Bhawan for Swearing in Ceremony of Prime Minister @narendramodi later this evening at 7:15pm. pic.twitter.com/Z4NcIRQ9bg
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) June 9, 2024
Still, there is a shortcoming in terms of number of seats, a senior BJP leader was busy stating that the new government would not be looked as a feeble one. Naidu, who had to briefly head back to Andhra Pradesh over the death of media magnate Ramoji Rao, should be back in Delhi for the function. The most likely priority of Naidu would be focussing on the finance with more support for Andhra Pradesh, TDP may likely get at least two ministerial berths and one for Jana Sena party also.
There are contingency plans regarding the ministers who may include Srikakulam MP K Ram Mohan Naidu, Guntur MP Chandra Shekhar Pemmasani and Chittoor MP Daggumalla Prasada Rao. The JD(U) is likely to have 3 ministers out of which LJP-Paswan Chirag Paswan could well be a part of Cabinet. Bihar gave good result with assembly elections due in the next year with JD(U) managing to win 12 out of the state’s 40 seats and the LJP five.
As with Maharashtra state which is also preparing for the next election, it will also get a cabinet berth although the BJP and its allies have had a raw deal in the state. Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh are likely to continue in important ministries; young leaders that may join include former Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Biplab Kumar Deb.
READ: DELHI ON HIGH ALERT FOR PM MODI’S SWEARING-IN TOMORROW: TEN POINTS