Narendra Modi has been sworn in as India’s prime minister for a third term after his party lost major ground in the country’s election. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Modi at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the president’s palace in New Delhi. Reuters reports that the event was attended by thousands of dignitaries, including the leaders of seven regional countries, Bollywood stars and industrialists.
Supporters cheered, clapped and chanted “Modi, Modi” as the 73-year old leader, dressed in a white kurta tunic and blue half jacket, was called to take his oath. Modi was followed by senior ministers in the previous government. He secured the third term in office after a multi-stage election that concluded on June 1 with the support of 14 regional parties in his BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
In the previous two terms his party had won an outright majority. The outcome is seen as a big setback to the popular leader as surveys and exit polls had predicted BJP would secure even more seats than in 2019. Modi delivered major economic growth and lifted India’s global standing, but appeared to have missed a step at home as a lack of enough jobs, high prices, low incomes and religious fault lines pushed voters to rein him in. Coalition members, especially the larger parties, are expected to have demanded concessions from Modi, including ministerial posts in the cabinet.
Modi’s previous cabinet had 81 ministers. Indian media have reported that Modi will assign his own trusted BJP figures to the top posts in the cabinet, including the interior, foreign affairs, finance and defence ministries. Security was tight in the capital on Sunday, with thousands of troops and police deployed as regional leaders flew in. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe – as well as leaders including those of Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives – attended the ceremony and the following state banquet.
Neighbouring rivals China and Pakistan were notably absent in not sending a top leader. Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi, a descendant of top Indian politicians from the Congress party that led the alliance competing with Modi, is being recognised as the country’s official opposition leader.The position has been vacant for a decade because the BJP had dominated the previous two elections, leaving the Congress – once India’s dominant party – short of a threshold.
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