New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to take oath for the third consecutive time on Sunday evening, following his re-election and confirmation as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Earlier reports had indicated that the oath-taking ceremony would occur on Saturday, but sources quoted by reports have confirmed the rescheduling.
Modi’s selection as the NDA’s leader occurred on Wednesday, paving the way for his historic third consecutive term as Prime Minister. This achievement places him in esteemed company, as he becomes only the second Indian Prime Minister to secure three consecutive terms, a feat previously accomplished only by Jawaharlal Nehru.
The decision to reschedule the oath-taking ceremony has stirred anticipation and speculation among political circles and the public alike. With Modi’s leadership at the helm, expectations run high for continuity and further development initiatives.
HIGHLIGHTS
- PM Modi was unanimously chosen as the leader of the NDA alliance on Wednesday afternoon.
- Earlier, NDA leaders met at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg to review the election results and discuss government formation. Attendees included BJP president JP Nadda, BJP leaders Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, and allies such as Nitish Kumar (Janata Dal United), Chandrababu Naidu (Telugu Desam Party), Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), HD Kumaraswamy (Janata Dal Secular), Pawan Kalyan (Janasena Party), Chirag Paswan (Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas), and Praful Patel (Nationalist Congress Party Ajit Pawar faction).
- Following the review meeting, a delegation of senior BJP and NDA leaders was scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan to stake a claim to form the government.
- Sources indicated that PM Modi would take the oath for his third term on June 8. The support of key allies like Naidu and Nitish Kumar is critical, as the BJP fell 32 seats short of the majority mark of 272, necessitating reliance on its allies.
- According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP won 240 seats and the Congress secured 99 seats. In comparison, the BJP had won 303 seats in the 2019 general elections and 282 in 2014.
- President Droupadi Murmu dissolved the 17th Lok Sabha on Wednesday, following the Union Cabinet’s recommendation. The Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a statement confirming the dissolution under Article 85(2) of the Constitution.
- Earlier, PM Modi tendered his resignation along with his Council of Ministers to President Murmu. The President accepted the resignation and requested that they continue until the new government assumes office.
- The opposition coalition, INDIA bloc, convened a meeting in Delhi on Wednesday evening. INC president Mallikarjun Kharge stated that alliance leaders would discuss the election results and subsequent strategy.
The voting process, spanning from April 19 to June 1 in seven phases, engaged more than 640 million voters, making it the largest democratic exercise in the world.
