Amit Shah, Rajnath, Shivraj: The candidates expected to get ministerial berths in Modi 3.0

Who will be in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet?

That’s what everyone is wondering ahead of the Modi’s swearing-in ceremony at 7.15 pm today. With the BJP depending on its NDA allies to form the government, negotiations for the plum Cabinet posts have been on for days.

The BJP won 240 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, while the TDP won 16 and the JD (U) won 12. Parliament has 534 seats with 272 needed to form the government.

Modi will take oath for the third time today. The strength of the full council of ministers is expected to be between 78 and 81, reports NDTV. However, close to 30 will be sworn in today.

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On Sunday morning, those who will be part of the Cabinet started receiving calls. All MPs, who will take the oath of office along with Modi were invited to his residence for tea at 11:30 am.

Let’s take a closer look:

BJP

According to several media reports, the BJP is keen on keeping several high-profile ministries including railways, home, finance and defence. According to News18, Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari are confirmed to get positions in the Cabinet.

Singh is expected to retain the defence ministry and Gadkari will continue as the Minister for Road Transport & Highways. Reports say Dr S Jaishankar is confirmed to return as External Affairs minister (EAM).

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Other MP-elects who got a call include Arjun Ram Meghwal, Jitin Prasada, Sarbananda Sonowal, Pralhad Joshi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Jyotiradtiya Scindia, G Kishan Reddy and ML Khattar, reports News18.

Mansukh Mandaviya, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Kiren Rijiju, and Rao Inderjit Singh will also have tea with PM Modi and will be part of the new Cabinet.

Senior ministers in the Modi 2.0 government like Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal will also be retained in the third government. BJP leaders Jitendra Singh, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Hardeep Singh Puri, K Annamalai, Giriraj Singh, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Suresh Gopi, Dharmendra Pradhan, Harsh Malhotra, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Shobha Karandlaje, Ajay Tamta, Raksha Khadse, Annapurna Devi, BL Verma, CR Patil, Pankaj Chaudhary and Ravneet Singh Bittu also received a call.

JDU

The JD(U) is expected to receive two portfolios in the new Cabinet, one Cabinet seat and one Minister Of State (MoS) post.

Lalan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur – both senior leaders – were invited to the meeting at PM’s residence in Delhi.

Singh was elected from Bihar’s Munger Lok Sabha seat. The 69-year-old four-term MP, is a former JD(U) national president and Bihar minister. He has been one of Nitish Kumar’s closest allies for many years.

Thakur, the son of Bharat Ratna recipient Karpoori Thakur, is a Rajya Sabha MP. He is likely to get the MoS position.

However, Mint reported earlier that JDU chief Nitish Kumar was asking for five Cabinet posts.

“We are hoping to get at least four Cabinet berths. One more MoS post could be asked for," a JD(U) leader had said earlier.

TDP

The TDP’s Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu will likely join the Modi 3.0 Cabinet. Naidu is a three-time MP from Srikakulam Lok Sabha constituency. At 36, he is expected to be the youngest Union Cabinet minister after he takes oath.

Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, the TDP candidate from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur constituency, is confirmed as a Minister of State in Modi Cabinet 3.0. Pemmasani is the wealthiest MP in the Lok Sabha with assets valued at Rs 5,705 crore.

Congratulations to Dr. @PemmasaniOnX on being confirmed as a Minister of State. Such an honour to serve the nation at the central level during your very first political stint. The people of Guntur and entire AP are proud of you. All the best for your new role. May you bring… pic.twitter.com/NAvPMViMLc

— Jay Galla (@JayGalla) June 9, 2024

The party is also eyeing the prestigious post of Speaker of the House.

Shiv Sena

The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is expected to get one berth in the Modi Cabinet 3.0, sources told News18. Pratap Rao Jadhav has been picked from the party.

The Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena won seven seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is expected to get one berth in the Cabinet.

The Ajit Pawar-led party has one MP in Lok Sabha. The ministership could go to its Rajya Sabha MP Praful Patel, according to a report in The Times of India (ToI).

Hindustani Awam Morcha

Hindustani Awam Morcha leader and former Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi is likely to be a part of the Modi 3.0 Cabinet.

He won from the Gaya Lok Sabha seat in these elections.

JD(S)

HD Kumaraswamy has reportedly received a call to meet Modi and is expected to be part of the Cabinet.

Mint reported that the JD(S) is keen on the agriculture portfolio in the Cabinet. The JD(S) got two seats in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

LJP

Hindustan Times reported that the LJP led by Chirag Paswan will likely get one seat in the Cabinet.

Paswan has reportedly received a call for a meeting with the PM-elect.

“We are assured of one berth. A minister of state would be a huge bonus," a party member told the newspaper on condition of anonymity.

The LJP won five seats in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

RLD

RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary might get a Cabinet berth, as per News18. He has received a call to meet the PM.

Adding spice to the matter, a row erupted over Chaudhary not getting a seat on the dais at the NDA meet.

“RLD party chief Jayant Chaudhary was not given a place on the stage despite having two seats, whereas leaders of parties with only one seat each were seated on the stage,” the Samajwadi Party posted on X.

The party won two seats in Uttar Pradesh.

Others

Anupriya Patel, Apna Dal Party chief from Mirzapur, might also get a berth as per News18.

The Apna Dal won one seat in the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh.

Ramdas Athawale of the Republican Party of India (Athawale) and AJSU MP Chandrashekhar Choudhary also got a call to attend the tea meeting at Modi’s residence.

With inputs from agencies