How will BJP accommodate JD(U), TDP in Modi 3.0 Cabinet
All eyes will be on the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday (June 9) as Narendra Modi prepares to take the oath as prime minister for the third time at a grand ceremony. With Modi's deal done, the question now is which MP-elects from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will make the final cut into Modi's Cabinet and council of ministers. This question gains significance because the new government is being formed with the backing of four NDA allies in particular.
Cabinet portfolios: TDP and JD(U) expected to join
Alongside Modi, around 30 ministers are expected to be sworn-in, with the full council of ministers likely comprising between 78 and 81 members, NDTV reported. Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which contributed 16 seats to the NDA's 293 seats, has confirmed two ministers for the Modi 3.0 Cabinet. The first is Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, the son former Union Minister Yerran Naidu. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, one of the richest candidates in this election, will also be sworn in.
JD(U) has suggested the names of 2 prominent leaders
Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) has reportedly suggested the names of two prominent leaders, Lalan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur. Singh was elected to the Lok Sabha from Munger, Bihar, while Thakur is a Rajya Sabha MP and the son of Bharat Ratna recipient, Karpoori Thakur. Both Kumar and Naidu emerged as kingmakers after the BJP won barely 240 seats. Kumar's party secured 12 seats in Bihar.
Coalition aspirations: BJP calls for reduced expectations
The BJP has reportedly told its allies that discussions on their aspirations may take place later and asked them to pare down their hopes. Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party, whose party won five Lok Sabha seats, may also get a cabinet berth. Anupriya Patel, president of the Apna Dal Party, Jayant Chaudhary, chief of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, and Jitan Ram Manjhi, chief of the Hindustani Awam Morcha, are also likely to get berths.
Foreign dignitaries attend Modi's oath ceremony
Modi will take the oath as prime minister of India today at 7:15pm. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be attended by approximately 8,000 people, including prominent foreign dignitaries. These include Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and others. The invitations extended to these leaders are part of India's neighborhood-first policy.
