Reflecting its coalition nature, the BJP-led Government, which lacks a majority on its own, has announced its newly constituted Cabinet committees with significant representation for NDA allies, marking the highest since 2014. The committees’ members were unveiled more than three weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his council of ministers were sworn in on June 9.
The all-important Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by the Prime Minister and crucial for decisions on national security, defence expenditure, and top security appointments, remains unchanged. It includes the Ministers of Defence, Home Affairs, Finance, and External Affairs, all retaining their roles from Modi 2.0.
The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, often dubbed the ‘Super Cabinet,’ now includes K Rammohan Naidu from the Telegu Desam Party and Jitan Ram Manjhi of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular). Manjhi heads the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, while Naidu oversees Civil Aviation.
Janata Dal United’s Lalan Singh joins the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, overseeing portfolios like Panchayati Raj and Animal Husbandry, while Chirag Paswan of Lok Janshakti Party, serving as Minister for Food Processing Industries, joins the Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth.
Jayant Chaudhary, leader of Rashtriya Lok Dal, is a special invitee in the Cabinet Committee on Skill, Employment, and Livelihood, handling the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
Notably, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh features prominently across all Cabinet committees except those concerning Appointments and Accommodation, highlighting his pivotal role in the Modi administration.
New entrants like Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi also secure roles in key committees, reflecting their growing influence within the government.
In terms of political alignment and parliamentary strength, Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP and Nitish Kumar’s JDU emerge as crucial allies, contributing significantly to the NDA’s legislative majority despite not overlapping in committee assignments, sources confirmed.
