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Modi cabinet expansion likely after June 15

P L UNIYAL. Dated: 5/30/2014 12:19:06 AM

NEW DELHI, May 29: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to expand his Cabinet after June 15. According to sources, he is likely to take 25 more Ministers; most of them will be ministers of state.
Modi is also likely to appoint a new, full time defence minister. Currently the defence portfolio is held by Arun Jaitley, who is also holding Finance portfolio. There has been a demand for greater participation of the BJP MPs in the government. Some key allies like Shiv Sena and TDP may get more berths in the Cabinet.
The Shiv Sena has been demanding that it should get more berths. The first session of the newly elected Lok Sabha begins on June 4 and ends on June 12. The President will address the joint session.
The newly elected members of the Lok Sabha will take oath as members in the session. The senior most member of the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Kamal Nath will act as Pro-tem Speaker and administer oath. Currently the Union Cabinet has 46 ministers including the Prime Minister.