Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to take oath as the prime minister of India for a third straight term at a pompous ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Over 60 ministers are also expected to be sworn in at the ceremony which begins at 7.15 pm.
President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office to Modi who has equaled the feat of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who won in 1952, 1957 and 1962 general elections.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Bhutanese PM Tshering Tobgay, Bangladesh President Sheikh Hasina and Vice-President of Seychelles Ahmed Afif are among the dignitaries and special invitees who will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the prime minister and his council of ministers.
Muizzu's visit has assumed greater significance as it came against the backdrop of the ties between India and the Maldives witnessing significant strain. This was Muizzu's first visit to India after he became the island nation's president on November 17 last year.
Modi was elected the head of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government after two full tenures in which the BJP enjoyed a majority on its own. This time he retained power but with a surprising below-par show by the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls as its seat tally fell to 240 from 303, considerably short of the majority mark of 272.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) together won 293 seats, which is a comfortable majority.
The BJP was keen to send out a message of continuity and ward off any impression of political vulnerability following its surprising below-par show in the polls.
