Prime Minister Narendra Modi formed his third consecutive Union cabinet on Sunday, maintaining a balance between continuity and fresh inclusions. Key lieutenants from his previous terms, including Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, S. Jaishankar, and Piyush Goyal, retained their ministerial positions. Alliances played a significant role in cabinet formation, with TDP and JD(U) securing one cabinet post each. Other NDA allies like JD(S), HAM(S), and LJP also found representation in the cabinet.
Approximately 9,000 individuals, including politicians, business leaders, and celebrities, gathered at the forecourts of the Rashtrapati Bhavan to witness the swearing-in ceremony. Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, and JD(U) head Nitish Kumar graced the occasion with their presence. Among the notable inclusions in the cabinet are Piyush Goyal, who made his electoral debut with a win from the Mumbai North constituency, and Dharmendra Pradhan, Hardeep Singh Puri, and Mansukh Mandaviya, who were part of the previous government. Two former BJP chief ministers, Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Manohar Lal Khattar, also joined the new cabinet.
The new cabinet reflects the need to accommodate allies who will play a more prominent role in this NDA government, given the BJP’s inability to secure a majority on its own. As the new government settles into its work, it will focus on policy formulation and the preparation of the Union Budget for FY25.
Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister, had previously indicated the government’s intention to usher in next-generation structural reforms in various sectors, including land, labor, capital, and digital public infrastructure, to foster inclusive growth. However, the pace of these reforms will likely be influenced by the constraints of a coalition government.
The government’s 100-day agenda, which is expected to be released shortly, will outline key goals and recommendations to set the tone and priorities for the new administration. It may include high-priority targets and long-term objectives with a rollout plan for the coming years. Nonetheless, the recent election results may necessitate adjustments to the 100-day agenda. Furthermore, the government may adopt a more consultative approach to policymaking, especially considering the requests from allies like the TDP to re-evaluate the contentious Agnipath scheme.
