Modi sworn in as India PM for third term

Narendra Modi was yesterday sworn in as India's prime minister for a record-equalling third consecutive term. He will lead the 71-member BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.

President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Modi at a grand ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

The event was attended by an estimated 8,000 dignitaries, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accompanied by her daughter Saima Wazed, and other top leaders of seven South Asian countries, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and billionaire industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani.

Modi, 73, is only the second person after India's independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to serve a third straight term as the prime minister.

Main opposition Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge was present at the ceremony, but its key INDIA bloc constituent Trinamool Congress stayed away from the event.

Modi secured his third term in elections that concluded on June 1 with the support of 14 regional parties in his BJP-led alliance.

This is the first time Modi is leading a coalition government after having been the PM for a decade when BJP enjoyed a commanding majority. Modi became the premier for the first time in May 2014 and returned with a bigger mandate in 2019.

Modi's council of ministers consists of 30 cabinet ministers, five ministers of state with independent charge and 36 ministers of state. It has representation from most parts of the country as well as social groups. It has 27 ministers from Other Backward Classes, 10 from Scheduled Castes, five from Scheduled Tribes and an equal number from minorities.

A record 18 senior ministers will be heading ministries, indicating that Modi has blended continuity and change to pick his new council of ministers.

Given BJP's critical dependence on its allies this time in the absence of majority on its own in the 543-member Lok Sabha where half-way mark is 272, the party's NDA partners got 11 ministerial berths -- five cabinet and six ministers of state in the third term of Modi.

Modi's previous council of ministers had two ministers of state from BJP's small-time allies Apna Dal (S) and Republican Party of India, but this time, there are two ministers of state with independent charge and four ministers of state.

Besides Hasina, the Maldives President Md Muizzu, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay and Vice-President of the Seychelles Ahmed Afif attended the oath-taking ceremony.

In addition to political leaders and eminent persons from different walks of life, members from the transgender community as well as sanitation workers and labourers, who were involved in the construction of India's new parliament building constructed in Modi's second stint as PM, joined the event.

HASINA MEETS MODI

Hasina met her Indian counterpart Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the first interaction between them since their victories in general elections.

Hasina and Modi, both smiling, had a brief exchange of pleasantries after the former gestured "adaab" before the Indian PM went for a handshake, which was warmly reciprocated by Hasina.

The meeting between the two PMs took place on the podium after Modi and his 71 council of ministers took oath of office and secrecy at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The two premiers proceeded to the banquet hosted by the Indian president. Hasina was led into the banquet hall by President Murmu.