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The NDA was the loser as Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded his ministry to a strength of 66, just 12 less than the UPA’s peak tally during 2009-2014. Modi inducted 21 more ministers on Sunday, but barring the TDP representative, the rest are from the BJP. Ironically, Suresh Prabhu, one of the newly inducted cabinet ministers, quit the Shiv Sena — which he had represented four times in the Lok Sabha — to join the BJP hours ahead of the swearing-in, while the Sena boycotted the ceremony. The move, though a fallout of power games in Maharashtra, comes in the wake of talk that the BJP is working towards a post-coalition future. Signs of the party moving in that direction were visible ahead of the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly polls, which it fought alone. The current tough talk with the Sena, an ally for a quarter of a century, reflects the BJP’s resolve to advance its position even at the risk of alienating allies.

Seen in this context, it is not at all surprising that Modi has chosen to limit the presence of NDA partners in his ministry. In a bid to consolidate the party’s gains in its strongholds, most of the new ministers have been drawn from northern and western India. Castes and communities seen as potential vote banks have been given representation with the intent to widen the party’s social base. Bihar, which goes to the polls next year, got three more ministers, including Ram Kripal Yadav, who joined the party after the RJD denied him a seat. The other interesting inclusion is Chaudhary Birender Singh, an influential Jat leader who had quit the Congress ahead of the general elections. The BJP had won the Haryana assembly poll by consolidating non-Jat communities and chose a non-Jat as chief minister, while the community was seen to be tilting towards the party in neighbouring UP.

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Even after the mega expansion on Sunday, the Modi ministry has a lopsided look, with some regions and communities under-represented. The BJP may blame it on the nature of the verdict, but Modi could have creatively addressed the imbalances by inducting talent from outside the party. The inclusion of technocrats as well as regional and community leaders could have provided an extra edge to the government and dispelled the notion that it is not sufficiently inclusive and is insensitive to allies.