PM Modi Cabinet reshuffle: 27 OBCs, 11 women, a host of professionals — a sneak peek

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to induct new ministers in his government later on Wednesday, an exercise that will be carried out for the first time since his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power for the second straight term in 2019. After the expansion, the government will have ministers from 25 states and Union Territories, top sources told CNN-News18.

Caste balance: Modi’s government could have a total of 47 ministers from the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

• Twelve ministers could be from the SC community. Of them, two might have a cabinet rank.
• These leaders come from across eight states (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu) and 12 communities, including Chamar–Ramdassia, Meghwal, Rajbonshi, Matua-Namashudra and Dhangar, among others.
• Eight ministers could be from the ST community. Of them, three are likely to have a cabinet rank.
• These leaders come from across eight states (Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Assam) and seven communities, including Gond, Santal, Miji, Munda and Sonowal–Kachari.
• There could be 27 ministers from the OBC community. Of them, five are likely to have a cabinet rank.
• These leaders come from across 15 states and 19 communities, including Yadav, Kurmi, Jat, Gurjar and Khandayat, among others.

Message of inclusion: The government is likely to have five ministers from minority communities from five states (Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Punjab and Arunachal Pradesh).

• One Muslim, one Sikh, one Christian and two Buddhist leaders could be part of the government.
• Three of them will get a cabinet rank.

Others in the mix: There will be 29 ministers from other communities, including Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Baniyas, Bhumihars, among others.

Women’s representation: The government is likely to have 11 women ministers from across nine states and nine communities; two of them could have a cabinet rank.

What else? Thirteen lawyers, six doctors, five engineers and seven civil servants are likely to be a part of the government.

• The average age of the council of ministers will be 58 years, compared with the present average age of 61 years.
• Seven of them will have a PhD degree, three of them will have an MBA degree and 68 will have graduate degrees.
• Fourteen ministers, including six cabinet ministers, will be below 50.
• Forty-six ministers will have experience of being central ministers.
• Twenty-three of the ministers have been parliamentarians for three or more terms.
• Four former chief ministers, 18 former ministers in state governments and 39 former legislators too will be part of the Central government.
• At present, the government has 52 ministers, with the limit being 81.

Speculations over names: Several leaders — some of them already hold ministerial portfolios — have been visiting the Prime Minister’s 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence since morning, sparking speculations over who the new faces in the government will be. According to CNN-News18, the leaders mentioned below visited 7 Lok Kalyan Marg on Wednesday.

• Jyotiraditya Scindia
• Sarbananda Sonowal
• Bhupender Yadav
• Anurag Thakur
• Meenakshi Lekhi
• Anupriya Patel
• Ajay Bhatt
• Shobha Karandjale
• Sunita Dugga
• Pritam Munde
• Santanu Thakur
• Narayan Rane
• Kapil Patil
• Pashupati Nath Parast
• RCP Singh
• G Krishan Reddy
• Parshottam Rupala
• Ashwini Vaishnav
• Mansukh L Mandaviya
• Hardeep Puri
• Rajeev Chandrashekhar
• BL Verma
• Nisith Pramanik
• Pratibha Bhaumik
• Dr Bharti Pawar
• Bhagwat Karad
• SP Singh Baghel