# Desai ministry

The Morarji Desai ministry was formed on 24 March 1977 following the 1977 Indian general election. Morarji Desai led the Janata Party to victory against the Congress party. Upon taking office, Morarji Desai became the first Indian Prime Minister not belonging to the Congress party.

## Cabinet

| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party | Remarks |
| Prime Minister And also in-charge of all other important portfolios and policy issues not allocated to any Minister. | Morarji Desai | 24 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Deputy Prime Ministers | Charan Singh | 24 January 1979 | 16 July 1979 | JP | |
| Deputy Prime Ministers | Jagjivan Ram | 24 January 1979 | 16 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Shipping and Transport | Morarji Desai | 24 March 1977 | 14 August 1977 | JP | Prime Minister was responsible. |
| Minister of Home Affairs | Charan Singh | 26 March 1977 | 1 July 1978 | JP | |
| Minister of Home Affairs | Morarji Desai | 1 July 1978 | 24 January 1979 | JP | Prime Minister was responsible. |
| Minister of Home Affairs | Hirubhai M. Patel | 29 January 1979 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Finance | Hirubhai M. Patel | 26 March 1977 | 24 January 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Finance | Charan Singh | 24 January 1979 | 16 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Defence | Jagjivan Ram | 28 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of External Affairs | Atal Bihari Vajpayee | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Information and Broadcasting | L. K. Advani | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Education, Social Welfare and Culture | Pratap Chandra Chunder | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Education and Social Welfare | Rabi Ray | 25 January 1979 | 15 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Railways | Madhu Dandavate | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Commerce Minister of Civil Supplies and Cooperation | Mohan Dharia | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Energy | P. Ramachandran | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Law, Justice and Company Affairs | Shanti Bhushan | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Works, Housing, Supply and Rehabilition | Sikander Bakht | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Minister of Labour | Ravindra Varma | 26 March 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Steel and Mines | Biju Patnaik | 26 March 1977 | 15 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Communications | Parkash Singh Badal | 26 March 1977 | 27 March 1977 | SAD | |
| Minister of Communications | George Fernandes | 27 March 1977 | 6 July 1977 | JP | |
| Minister of Communications | Brij Lal Verma | 6 July 1977 | 28 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation | Purushottam Kaushik | 26 March 1977 | 15 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation | Parkash Singh Badal | 28 March 1977 | 17 June 1977 | SAD | |
| Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation | Surjit Singh Barnala | 18 June 1977 | 28 July 1979 | SAD | |
| Minister of Health and Family Welfare | Raj Narain | 28 March 1977 | 1 July 1978 | JP | |
| Minister of Health and Family Welfare | Morarji Desai | 1 July 1978 | 24 January 1979 | JP | Prime Minister was responsible. |
| Minister of Industry | Brij Lal Verma | 28 March 1977 | 6 July 1977 | JP | |
| Minister of Industry | George Fernandes | 6 July 1977 | 15 July 1979 | JP | |
| Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers | Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna | 28 March 1977 | 29 March 1977 | JP | Renamed as Petroleum, Chemicals and Fertilizers. |
| Minister of Petroleum, Chemicals and Fertilizers | Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna | 29 March 1977 | 15 July 1979 | JP | |