Optics of an open-air swearing-in ceremony in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan may have been justified to ensure participation of thousands who worked hard for the spectacular NDA win. The sweltering heat of the capital with temperatures touching 47 degree and the entire exercise lasting for a couple of hours did, however, seem to jar at some point. Maybe separate oath to each Cabinet-ranked minister and collective oath to groups of ministers in second and third tiers would help shorten the rather prolonged exercise. As for the personnel chosen for the second successive ministry of Prime Minister Modi, no single strand seems to run strong. Continuity is sought to be maintained with the retention of some of the big names from the old Cabinet, but there are some inexplicable exclusions as well. Arun Jaitley had opted out on grounds of health. Sushma Swaraj too is not keeping well though she would have liked to continue. She did not contest the Lok Sabha poll and unless accommodated in the Rajya Sabha her long political career too might come to an end soon. Why someone like Jayant Sinha did not find a place remains unclear, though the need to accommodate various regional and caste interests could be an important one. Both Jaitley and Swaraj had been members of the first and second NDA governments.
Second, while outside talent has been brought in most likely in External Affairs, a key ministry such as Finance is set to be controlled by a professional politician. Retired Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has a good equation with the PM and justly enjoys reputation for professional competence. Given the growing uncertainty in our neighbourhood, with an assertive China widening influence in the wider region around India, he can be trusted to lead the Foreign Ministry at a critical juncture. But another ministry which cried out loud for a domain expert was Finance. It is not to suggest that a politician without domain knowledge cannot be a good finance minster, but the induction of professional economist would have been doubly reassuring. At the time of writing, the ministry allocation is still not known but clearly the choice could be between Amit Shah and Piyush Goel. Both of them understand business, though the latter has closer linkages with the corporate world. Which brings us to the question whether Shah would no longer head the BJP, and, if no, the job would go to one of his close aides, Dharmendra Yadav, or to someone like J P Nadda, who has not found a place in the ministry. It is hoped that Shah will not do multi-tasking, dividing his time and attention between his ministerial charge and remote-controlling the party organization as well. With key Assembly elections due later this year and next, the BJP would like to remain fighting fit for the electoral battles ahead. Indeed, the induction of newly-elected MPs from the BJP component of the NDA suggests that representation to various sectional interests and caste groups has been a major consideration. Rewarding winners representing key castes is often at the cost of efficiency but this becomes necessary to retain electoral support. Overall, the second Modi team does not impress for lack of obvious talent and the absence of the long-stays such as Jaitley and Swaraj. Given that Modi has a habit of keeping a close watch on all that happens in the government, the lack of ministerial competence could be made up by the stewardship of the Prime Minister and his trusted team in the PMO.
Also, the last-minute decision by the JD (U) to not join the ministry is bound to be problematic for the new government sooner than later. Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo, Nitish Kumar, who, incidentally was present at the swearing-in ceremony, said that the offer of a ‘symbolic’ inclusion in the government with a solitary minister was not found acceptable by the party but given the large numbers elected on the BJP symbol, it was the best formula devised by the Modi-Shah duo to constitute a NDA government rather than a pure BJP one.
