New Delhi: Narendra Modi took the oath of office as Prime Minister for a historic third term on Sunday, following his election as the leader of a coalition comprising a dozen political parties led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This milestone makes Modi the second prime minister, after Jawaharlal Nehru, to serve three consecutive terms. Notably, this tenure will involve power-sharing with key allies, marking a new chapter in Modi's leadership.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, saw Modi and 71 other ministers take the oath of office. The new cabinet includes 30 cabinet ministers, five ministers of state with independent charge, and 36 ministers of state, with eleven ministers hailing from non-BJP alliance partners. The allocation of portfolios is yet to be announced.
Prominent Non-BJP Ministers Sworn In
Cabinet Ministers:
- HD Kumaraswamy (JDS): Son of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy has twice served as Chief Minister of Karnataka, first in 2006 in a coalition with the BJP, and again in 2018 in a coalition with Congress.
- Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM): A veteran MLA since 1980, Manjhi served as Bihar's Chief Minister in 2014-15 and is noted for being the first Chief Minister from the Musahar community. He has been affiliated with various political parties over his career.
- Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan Singh (JDU): Known as Lalan Singh, he is a close aide to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and was instrumental in forging the JDU-RJD alliance in 2022.
- Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu (TDP): The youngest member in the council of ministers, Naidu is one of two TDP leaders with ministerial roles and the sole cabinet appointee from his party. His father, KY Naidu, was a Union minister from 1996 to 1998.
- Chirag Paswan (LJPRV): Leader of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Paswan has been an MP twice. This marks his first appointment to the Union cabinet. He is the son of the late Ram Vilas Paswan.
Ministers of State (Independent Charge):
- Jayant Chaudhary (RLD): Once a political rival of the BJP, Chaudhary joined the NDA in March. He is the grandson of former Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.
- Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav (Shiv Sena): The sole representative from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in the cabinet, Jadhav is a four-time MP and has served as a minister of state in previous Maharashtra governments.
Ministers of State:
- Ramdas Athawale (RPIA): Leader of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), Athawale previously served as Union Minister of State for Social Justice.
- Ram Nath Thakur (JDU): A prominent figure in Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United, Thakur is the son of former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur.
- Anupriya Patel (Apna Dal Soneylal): Representing Mirzapur, Patel heads Apna Dal (Soneylal) and has held positions in the Commerce and Health ministries in the previous two Modi cabinets.
As the new cabinet prepares to assume its duties, the nation awaits the announcement of portfolio allocations, which will delineate the responsibilities and focus areas for each minister.
