Big takeaways from new Modi govt: Record number of ministers sworn in, allies’ share up

The portfolios are yet to come, but the first key takeaway from the new Council of Ministers is the political imperative of a coalition government. This is reflected in the record high of 72 being sworn in on Sunday in the third term of the BJP-led NDA government compared with 45 ministers in 2014 and 57 ministers in 2019.

With the support of allies critical to go past the majority mark in 2024, their representation in the Council of Ministers has more than doubled to 11 (of which five are Cabinet rank) compared with just five (four Cabinet) ministers in 2014 and four (three Cabinet) ministers in 2019.

After a clear majority in 2014, Modi said he believed the government has no business to be in business and the focus should be on minimum government, but maximum governance. The Council of Ministers had just 23 Cabinet ministers, 10 Ministers of State with Independent Charge and 12 Ministers of State. Now, in 2024, Modi has inducted 30 Cabinet ministers, five MoS (Independent) and as many as 37 MoS.

What could not be missed during on Sunday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan was a perceptible change in the pecking order in oath-taking. JP Nadda, currently the national President of the BJP, and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan preceded Nirmala Sitharaman. While Narendra Modi was sworn in as the Prime Minister, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari followed him to take oath as Cabinet Ministers ahead of Nadda.

A third takeaway from the new Cabinet is that of continuity, but change with addition of new faces — strong regional players — meant that the order of precedence in the party was altered. Modi’s key lieutenants remain; the change comes in the form of BJP leaders drawn in from states including Chouhan