A day after Narendra Modi took the oath for his third consecutive term as Prime Minister, senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has launched a scathing critique of Modi’s decision to form a government with alliance partners TDP and JD(U).
The criticism followed a tweet comparing the total number of MPs who took the oath as ministers alongside PM Modi in 2014, 2019, and 2024.
In a sharp rebuke on Monday morning, Swamy described Modi’s coalition move as “the biggest mistake of his life” and predicted turmoil within the BJP.
"Modi’s biggest mistake of his life (Vinash Kaale Vipreet Buddhi) is to enter a coalition with two vipers of Indian politics. These two will set the pace for secularism perched on a Hindutva camel. BJP will be in disarray within the next months. A new Saffron BJP will emerge," Swamy tweeted, referring to TDP and JD(U).
Swamy's comments were a response to an analytical post by journalist Arvind Gunasekar, who noted the significant increase in the number of ministers sworn in alongside PM Modi over the years. In 2014, the swearing-in ceremony included Modi, 23 Cabinet Ministers, 10 Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 12 Ministers of State.
By 2019, this number had slightly increased to 24 Cabinet Ministers, 9 Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 24 Ministers of State. However, this year saw a notable surge, with 30 Cabinet Ministers, 5 Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 36 Ministers of State.
The expansion in the number of ministers was the focal point of Gunasekar's analysis, which subsequently drew Swamy's ire. The swearing-in ceremony on June 9 was followed by heightened scrutiny over the distribution of portfolios.