Deputy Prime Minister of India

The Deputy Prime Minister of India (IAST: "Bhārat kē Uppradhānamantrī") is the deputy head of the Government of India. It is the second highest ranking member of the Union Council of Ministers. A deputy prime minister usually also holds a cabinet portfolio such as the home minister, defence minister or finance minister. In the parliamentary system of government, the prime minister is treated as the "first among equals" in the cabinet; the position of deputy prime minister is used to bring political stability and strength within a coalition government or in times of national emergency, when a proper chain of command is necessary.
The office is having been occupied for a little more than 11 years out of the 73 years since its establisment.
History.
The first deputy prime minister was Vallabhbhai Patel. He occupied the post for 3 years until his death in 1950. The post was empty until Morarji Desai became the second deputy prime minister in 1967.
L. K. Advani served as the seventh deputy prime minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet from 2002 to 2004.
Keys