PM Modi's Third Term Kicks Off With Inclusive And Regionally Balanced Cabinet

Modi's third innings as Prime Minister has begun with a diverse and inclusive team representing regions across India. Despite the BJP recording its worst performance in Uttar Pradesh, securing only 36 out of 80 seats, the state is well-represented with 9 ministers in the cabinet, including Rajnath Singh, Hardeep Singh Puri, Pankaj Chaudhry, Anupriya Patel, Jitin Prasad, Jayant Choudhary, B.L. Verma, Kamlesh Paswan, and S.P. Singh Baghel. Bihar, with half the seats of Uttar Pradesh, has equal representation with 8 ministers, reflecting the need to balance interests with allies JDU and LJP (Ram Vilas). Prominent ministers from Bihar include Chirag Paswan, Giriraj Singh, and Lallan Singh. West Bengal, sending the third highest number of MPs to the Lok Sabha, has only two ministers, Shantanu Thakur and Sukanta Majumdar, as the party's tally has dropped since 2019. In Tamil Nadu, where the BJP did not win any seats, L. Murugan has been retained in the cabinet. Despite a significant defeat in Punjab, Congress import Ravneet Singh Bittu has been appointed as a minister. The new Modi cabinet faces the challenge of managing multiple and crucial allies, and forming a coalition government to navigate the upcoming term.