Modi 3.0 Cabinet: ‘Mujhe toh kuch pta hi nahi hai abhi..,’ says Shivraj Singh Chouhan on getting ministerial post

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On being asked about getting a ministerial post, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, “Mujhe toh kuch pta hi nahi hai abhi..(I have no information as of now).”

Speaking on the Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, Chouhan said, “It is the good fortune of the country that Narendra Modi is becoming the Prime Minister for the third time.”

Meanwhile, intense negotiations have been underway among BJP leadership and its allies regarding allocating ministerial berths within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the new government, PTI reported.

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Key BJP figures such as Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and party president J P Nadda have been engaging in discussions with allies like Telugu Desam Party’s N Chandrababu Naidu, JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar, and Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde to finalize their share of representation in the government.

There is a prevailing sentiment that the BJP will likely retain significant portfolios such as home, finance, defence, external affairs, education, and culture—ministries with pronounced ideological significance. Meanwhile, its allies are anticipated to receive between five and eight cabinet berths.

Among the BJP ranks, leaders like Shah and Singh are widely expected to secure positions in the new Cabinet. Additionally, former chief ministers who emerged victorious in the Lok Sabha polls, such as Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Basavaraj Bommai, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Sarbananda Sonowal, are strong contenders for inclusion in the government.

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“Ram Mohan Naidu of the TDP, Lalan Singh, Sanjay Jha and Ram Nath Thakur of the JD(U), and Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) are among the allies who may be a part of the new government,” sources told PTI, adding that “either Singh or Jha will be accommodated from the JD(U) quota”.

The impending reshuffle within the BJP’s organizational structure will also weigh heavily on the minds of its leadership as they finalize the ministerial appointments from within the party.

J P Nadda’s tenure was extended due to the Lok Sabha polls, and organizational dynamics will be a crucial consideration for the party, given indications that all may not be smooth within its extensive machinery.

“This opens the possibility of some seasoned hand being sent to the party and Nadda being given a berth in the government, the sources told PTI.

The deviation of some voters, particularly from Scheduled Castes and other marginalised sections of society, could also influence government formation, despite Modi’s efforts to enhance their relative representation in his previous term.

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While Modi has secured another term in power, the BJP’s performance in the Lok Sabha polls fell below expectations. The party’s seat tally decreased from 303 to 240, notably short of the majority mark of 272.

(With inputs from PTI)

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Published: 09 Jun 2024, 11:13 AM IST