https://arab.news/ma2ex
- Composition of Modi’s Cabinet to be revealed during swearing-in ceremony
- Modi was formally elected leader of India’s winning coalition on Friday
NEW DELHI: India’s incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet will take an oath of office for a third term on Sunday, after he was elected leader of the coalition that won the most seats in the recent general vote.
Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has governed India as part of the National Democratic Alliance over the past decade. While the coalition won the election last week, for the first time since 2014, the BJP has lost its absolute majority in parliament, making it dependent on allies to form a government.
The composition of the Cabinet will be revealed when Modi and his ministers are sworn in.
“The swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Council of Ministers following the General Elections 2024 is scheduled on 09 June 2024,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
“On the occasion, leaders from India’s neighbourhood and Indian Ocean region have been cordially invited as distinguished guests.”
Among the guests were listed the presidents of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the vice president of Seychelles, and the prime ministers of Bangladesh, Mauritius, Nepal, and Bhutan.
“The visit of the leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for his third consecutive term is in keeping with the highest priority accorded by India to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘SAGAR’ vision,” the statement said, referring to Security and Growth for All in the Region — Modi’s geopolitical framework of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
The statement did not mention India’s rivals — China and Pakistan.
While Beijing had congratulated Modi, Islamabad said on Friday that congratulations would be “premature” as his government has not been formed yet.
On Friday, Modi was formally elected leader of the NDA, after securing support from two key allies — the Telugu Desam Party in southern Andhra Pradesh state and Janata Dal (United) in eastern Bihar state.
“NDA has become synonymous with good governance in the past 10 years, and we have worked to make the country touch new heights of success. This is the most successful alliance in India’s history,” Modi said after coalition members backed him as prime ministerial candidate.
“We were neither defeated nor are we defeated.”
The final results from India’s marathon, six-week election, which began on April 19, were released on Wednesday. The BJP won 240 seats, while 272 were needed for a majority.
The NDA coalition bagged 293 seats in the 543-member lower house of parliament.
It was challenged by an alliance of two dozen opposition parties — the Congress Party-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA, which has 232 seats.