As many as 37 ministers who were part of the first Narendra Modi government have not made it to the Union council of ministers this time. Modi was on Thursday sworn in with 57 other ministers, 24 of them of cabinet rank, nine ministers of state with independent charge and 24 junior ministers. The earlier government had 75 ministers — 27 of cabinet rank, 11 ministers of state with independent charge and 37 junior ministers. (Party chief) Amit Shah himself picked the ministers from the politically crucial state,” a BJP leader said, trying to justify Maneka’s exclusion. Amitbhai’s concurrence is important since, as party chief, he knows which leader should be given what responsibility,” a BJP leader said.

Source: The Telegraph June 02, 2019 22:52 UTC