New Delhi: After hectic parleys at Gujarat Bhawan over the future role of BJP's top leaders in the central Cabinet, the official list of Narendra Modi's council of ministers has been sent this morning to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley is tipped to be the new finance minister. BJP chief Rajnath Singh could get the home ministry. Former party president Nitin Gadkari could get Infrastructure or an enhanced transport ministry.
The news reports suggest that the list includes the names of 18 Ministers and 16 Ministers of States.
It says Modi's close aide, Rajnath Singh, will be next Minister of Home Affairs, and Ravi Shankar Prasad will take responsibility of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Reports suggest that Sushma Swaraj, the leader of opposition in the outgoing Lok Sabha, could get either the External Affairs portfolio or Defense.
Among the others who are slated to get important positions in the new government are Venkaiah Naidu, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Smriti Irani, Poonam Mahajan, Kirit Somaiya, Kalraj Mishra, Ananth Kumar, Sumitra Mahajan and Satyapal Singh.
TDP Leader Ashok Gajapathy Raju and Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete are also likely to be given Cabinet berths.
Modi's office said in a statement that he will be guided by the principle of "minimum government and maximum governance." He is expected to merge and restructure several ministries.
