• Source:JND
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No Muslim leader managed to get a seat in the newly inducted 72-member Council of Ministers, who took oath along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Monday. The largest minority community also struggled to get representation in Lok Sabha this year, with only 24 Muslim candidates elected to the lower house of the Parliament. These numbers are the second-lowest in India's history as the lowest was recorded in the 16th Lok Sabha, at 22.  

In the last two terms of PM Modi, MJ Akbar and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi were made Union Ministers, who were Minister of State for External Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs, respectively. However, the Muslim community failed to get representation in the Council of Ministers as the BJP-led NDA has no Muslim member elected to the Lok Sabha in the 2024 general elections. 

The Council comprises members from other minority groups, including two Sikh leaders, Hardeep Puri and Reveen Singh Bittu and a Christian member, George Kurien.

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President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office and secrecy to Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the swearing-in-ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. (Image: X/@rashtrapatibhvn)

The oath-taking ceremony, which took place on Sunday, also saw the inclusion of representatives from various social categories, with a notable increase in ministers from SC/ST and OBC backgrounds. This shift has resulted in a reduced presence of ministers from the general category, partly attributed to the electoral defeat of several incumbents, including RK Singh, Mahendra Nath Pandey and Ajay Mishra Teni.

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The new cabinet features four ministers from the Thakur community, including prominent figures such as Rajnath Singh and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Although their representation has decreased compared to PM Narendra Modi’s previous terms as the head of the Council.

Highlighting the youth representation, 36-year-old Ram Mohan Naidu has been appointed as the youngest cabinet minister. The council also welcomes former chief ministers and 33 first-time Union ministers, reflecting a blend of experience and fresh perspectives.

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Despite electoral setbacks, politicians like Ravneet Singh Bittu and L Murugan have found roles in the ministry. The council’s composition also includes seven women, with Annapurna Devi receiving a promotion to Cabinet Minister, alongside other female leaders such as Nirmala Sitharaman and Shobha Karandlaje.