Narendra Modi government at the Center has only one NDA ally left as Union Minister
New Delhi:
Following the death of party leader Lok Janshakti and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Ramdas Athawale of the Republican Party of India (RPI) is the only member among BJP allies in the NDA government at the Center.
However, there is no representation of the BJP allies in the Union Cabinet. Mr. Athawale is Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment.
Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena, Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal and Ram Vilas Paswan of Lok Janshakti party were from the BJP-led NDA alliance in the Union Cabinet when the Modi 2.0 government returned to power in 2019 after Lok Sabha elections.
While the Shiv Sena left the NDA in late 2019, Shiromani Akali Dal recently left the alliance due to new agricultural laws.
Another key ally of the NDA, the JD (U) had stayed away from the government.
Besides Prime Minister Modi, a total of 57 ministers – 24 ministers, nine ministers of state (independent office) and 24 ministers of state – were sworn in as members of the Union’s Council of Ministers on May 30. 2019.
Following the resignation of Arvind Sawant and Harsimrat Kaur Badal and the death of Ram Vilas Paswan, there are 21 ministers.
With the recent passing of State Minister for Railways Suresh Angadi, the number of State Ministers has also fallen to 23.
According to the Constitution, the total number of Union ministers, including the Prime Minister, must not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of Lok Sabha.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi can have up to 80 ministers in the 543 members of Lok Sabha.
