The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is no longer just a BJP-dominated coalition. Despite BJP securing a full majority in the last two elections, it fell short this year, leading to a coalition government. Key allies JD(U) and TDP have emerged as kingmakers. Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, with 16 MPs from Andhra Pradesh, secured one cabinet berth, while Karnataka's JD(S), with two Lok Sabha seats, also gained a ministerial position.
Bihar takes the lead
Bihar's non-BJP MPs have secured significant Cabinet positions. Nitish Kumar's JD(U), Chirag Paswan's LJP (Ram Vilas), and Jitan Ram Manji's HAM each received a cabinet berth.
Key portfolios for non-BJP Bihar ministers
JD (U): Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lallan Singh, is now Minister of Panchayati Raj, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying. Rajya Sabha MP Ram Nath Thakur is MoS for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
LJP (Ram Vilas): Chirag Paswan, with five Lok Sabha MPs, has been made Minister for Food Processing Industries.
HAM: Jitan Ram Manjhi secured the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises portfolio.
BJP ministers from Bihar
- Giriraj Singh: Union Minister of Textile.
- Raj Bhushan Choudhary: MoS, Jal Shakti.
- Nityanand Rai: MoS, Home Affairs.
Other key NDA appointments
- JD (S): HD Kumaraswamy, Heavy Industries and Steel Ministry.
- TDP: Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Ministry of Civil Aviation; Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, MoS for Rural Development and Communications.
- Shiv Sena: Jadhav Prataprao Ganpatrao, MoS (Independent Charge), AYUSH, and Health and Family Welfare.
- RLD: Jayant Chaudhary, MoS (Independent Charge), Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Education.
- Apna Dal (Soneylal): Anupriya Patel, MoS, Health & Family Welfare; Chemicals and Fertilizers.
- RPI: Ramdas Athawale, MoS, Social Justice and Empowerment.
Core Cabinet retained
Prime Minister Narendra Modi retained key ministers in his new cabinet:
- Rajnath Singh: Defence Minister
- Amit Shah: Home Minister
- Nirmala Sitharaman: Finance Minister
- S Jaishankar: Foreign Minister
- Nitin Gadkari: Road Transport Minister
- Dharmendra Pradhan: Education Minister
New assignments
- Shivraj Singh Chauhan: Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development
- JP Nadda: Health, Chemicals and Fertilizers
- Manohar Lal Khattar: Energy Department
- Kiren Rijiju: Parliamentary Affairs
- Jyotiraditya Scindia: Communications Ministry
- Ashwini Vaishnav: Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology.
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