Record 26 Deputy CMs Across 7 States: A Political Tool or Reflection of Diversity? | India News

NEW DELHI: A record 26 deputy chief ministers are in office across seven states at present- a position for which there is no constitutional provision and has emerged as a political tool to placate allies and keep the flock together.
Though deputy CMs take oath as ministers, they hold a higher status in the pecking order. Apart from adjustment and political management, experts also see this as an awareness post social movements and that it reflects diversity.

Andhra Pradesh leads the list with five deputy CMs, followed by UP, Maharashtra, Bihar, MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Nagaland with two each and Haryana, Karnataka, Himachal, Telangana and Arunachal Pradesh having one each.
Though a contradiction, constitutional validity is not a necessity always, feels former parliamentarian and JD(U) spokesperson K C Tyagi. “These are the days of adjustment and management. This also reflects our society and its diversity. People were not that aware earlier. But the social justice movement has created an awareness in general and everyone wants their representation,” said Tyagi.
There is no provision for the post of deputy prime minister as well though India had seven such instances since Independence. The first was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Moraji Desai (fourth PM) was the second deputy PM.
Interestingly, Devi Lal, who served as deputy to two PMs during 1989-1991, took oath as “… I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge my duties as a ‘deputy PM’ “, and not as per the text -“… conscientiously discharge my duties as a minister for the Union”.
Amitabh Singh, who teaches political science in JNU, said having a deputy is not a new phenomenon, “but this has been mainstreamed now, especially by BJP”.
Among the 26 sitting deputy CMs, 13 are from BJP, two from BJP allies, five from YSR Congress and three from Congress.