Around 30 ministers will be sworn in initially.
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to be sworn in for his third consecutive term today, although the entire council of ministers will not be taking oath. According to sources, around 30 ministers will be sworn in initially. The total strength of the council of ministers is anticipated to range between 78 and 81 members.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi gears up for his third consecutive term, several key allies from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are also expected to take oath today. Here’s a brief look at the probable ministers:
Telugu Desam Party (TDP)
Ram Mohan Naidu: A three-time MP from Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam, 36-year-old Ram Mohan Naidu is a prominent leader of the TDP. An MBA degree holder, he serves as the national general secretary of the TDP and was the party’s floor leader in the outgoing Lok Sabha. His father, KYerran Naidu, was a senior party leader, former MLA and MP, and a Union minister in the United Front government from 1996 to 1998.
Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani: Representing Guntur, Chandrasekhar Pemmasani is another key figure from the TDP. The 48-year-old medical doctor was one of the wealthiest contestants in the elections, with his family holding assets valued at over Rs 5,785 crore. After earning his MBBS from Dr NTR University of Health Sciences in 1999, Dr Chandra Sekhar pursued an MD in Internal Medicine in the United States.
Janata Dal (United)
Lalan Singh: The 69-year-old four-term MP, Rajeev Ranjan Singh, widely known as Lalan Singh, is a former JD(U) national president and Bihar minister. Mr Singh has been one of Nitish Kumar’s closest allies for many years. He was mentored by socialist icon and former chief minister Karpoori Thakur. He represented the Begusarai seat from 2004 to 2009 and won the Munger seat in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
Ram Nath Thakur: Born in 1950, Ram Nath Thakur is the son of former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur. He serves as an MP in the Rajya Sabha and is the leader of the Janata Dal (United) in the upper house. Previously, he was a member of the Bihar Legislative Council and served as the Minister of Sugarcane Industries in Lalu Prasad Yadav’s first cabinet. From November 2005 to November 2010, he held the positions of Minister of Revenue and Land Reforms, Law, and Information and Public Relations in Nitish Kumar’s second ministry. Mr Thakur was elected to the Rajya Sabha for the term from April 2014 to April 2020.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP)
Chirag Paswan: The MP from Bihar’s Hajipur, Chirag Paswan, represents the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). He is the son of former minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Mr Paswan entered politics following a brief stint in the film industry. He took over the leadership of the LJP after his father’s death in 2020.
Apna Dal
Anupriya Patel: Anupriya Patel has been the President of the Apna Dal (Soneylal) party since 2016 and has served as the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry of India since 2021. Representing Mirzapur in the Lok Sabha since 2014, she was also the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from 2016 to 2019.
Janata Dal (Secular)
HD Kumaraswamy: Son of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, HD Kumaraswamy is the leader of JDS and the former chief minister of Karnataka. He first became the Chief Minister in 2006, leading a coalition government with the BJP. His second term as Chief Minister began in 2018, heading a coalition government with the Congress.
Rashtriya Lok Dal
Jayant Chaudhary: A Rajya Sabha MP, Jayant Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) is known for his grassroots connection and leadership. He has represented Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura constituency in the Lok Sabha.