Narendra Modi, the leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has taken the oath of office for his third consecutive term as the prime minister of India. This makes him the first Indian premier since Jawaharlal Nehru to serve three consecutive terms. Nehru, who led the country from independence in 1947 until his death in 1964, was the leader of the Indian National Congress (INC), which is now the largest opposition party. Modi was sworn in with the presence of Indian President Draupadi Murmu.
In the recently concluded election, the BJP emerged as the largest party with 240 seats in the 543-member parliament. However, since they did not secure a majority on their own, they now have to negotiate with their allies. Some of these allies have demanded high-level cabinet positions as a condition for remaining in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) bloc. The NDA as a whole won 293 seats.
The opposition INDIA bloc, led by the Congress Party, also put up a strong fight and won 232 seats. There were reports that the opposition bloc reached out to some of Modi’s key allies, such as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, in an attempt to form a government. However, both leaders confirmed their support for the NDA, and Modi was unanimously elected as its leader on Friday.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Modi convened an extensive 11-hour meeting with his allies at his residence to establish the new cabinet. He emphasized the importance of the newly proposed ministers focusing on government affairs and ensuring timely completion of projects.
On Sunday, key members of the previous cabinet, such as Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Roads and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and BJP President J. P. Nadda, were sworn in as federal ministers. Indian media reports indicate that most of them have retained their portfolios.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by leaders from neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
It is worth noting that Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, who is perceived as pro-China in New Delhi, attended the ceremony, which was seen as a symbolic gesture amidst strained relations with the island nation. This visit marked Muizzu’s first trip to India since his election as president on November 17 last year. He expressed his eagerness to collaborate with Modi in further strengthening the bilateral ties, describing the relationship as progressing in a positive direction.
The swearing-in ceremony also witnessed the presence of prominent individuals from various fields, such as lawyers, doctors, artists, cultural performers, and influencers. Additionally, Indian media reports mention that employees of Indian Railways, sanitation workers, laborers, and tribal women were also extended invitations to attend the event.
