Prime Minister Modi’s Swearing-In Ceremony on Sunday Evening: Multiple International Leaders Invited

On Sunday evening, Narendra Modi is poised to take oath as Bharat’s Prime Minister for the third consecutive time, after being chosen as the head of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) earlier in the week. This marks a historic moment, as Modi becomes only the second Bharatiya Prime Minister to achieve such a feat, following in the footsteps of Jawaharlal Nehru.

The oath-taking ceremony, initially scheduled for Saturday, has been rescheduled to Sunday. Several dignitaries from South Asian nations have been invited to attend, including Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who have already confirmed their presence.

Invitations have also been extended to other regional leaders, such as Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. Maldives’ former President Mohamed Nasheed, has also been invited to attend the oath-taking ceremony.

This inclusion underscores the importance of regional cooperation and highlights Bharat’s diplomatic outreach to its neighboring countries.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the results of which were declared on Tuesday, have seen a shift in the political landscape. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has retained a significant presence with 240 seats, down from its previous overwhelming majority of 303, the NDA’s total seat count has decreased to 293 from 352 in the previous election.

This necessitates reliance on coalition partners to form a government, a situation not faced by Modi and the BJP since 2014.

Key allies in this coalition include Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP), which secured 16 seats, and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United (JDU) with 12 seats. Both parties, known for their past alliances with the Congress, have put forward certain demands in exchange for their support. The TDP has sought the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, a demand unlikely to be met by the BJP, who may offer the Deputy Speaker position instead.

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Similarly, the JDU is reported to be seeking a Common Minimum Programme for the NDA, with Nitish Kumar potentially leading a committee to implement it. Despite these demands, it is expected that the BJP will retain control over key ministries such as Home, Defence, Finance, and External Affairs.

As Narendra Modi prepares to embark on his third term as Prime Minister, the country awaits with anticipation to see how this new government will navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.