Modi oath-taking ceremony highlights: Narendra Modi takes oath for third consecutive term as PM

Lead by the Prime Minister, the new Council of Ministers includes 30 other Cabinet Ministers, five Ministers of State with Independent Charge and 36 Ministers of State. 11 NDA ally Ministers were among those who were sworn-in on June 9.

Savitri Thakur, BJP MP from Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar (ST), takes oath as a Minister of State in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third government. 

A tribal leader, Ms. Thakur first won from Dhar in 2014 but was not fielded in 2019. This time, she won from the constituency by over 2 lakh votes. 

After Mr. Uikey, Ms. Thakur is the second tribal leader from Madhya Pradesh who has been inducted in the new government at the Centre.

Durgadas Uikey, BJP MP from Madhya Pradesh’s Betul (ST) Lok Sabha seat, takes oath as a Minister of State in the third NDA government.

A prominent tribal leader of the region, Mr. Uikey will be a first time Minister in the Central Government. 

He won from Betul for the second consecutive time by a margin of more than 3.75 lakh votes.

Telangana MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Bansgaon MP Kamlesh Paswan and Ajmer MP Bhagirath Choudhary have been sworn in as Union Ministers of State.

Ravneet Singh who lost the Lok Sabha polls from Ludhiana, and Rajya Sabha members Satish Dubey and Sanjay Seth also took oath as Union Ministers of State.

- PTI

Political veterans and debutants, business leaders and showbiz stars - more than 8,000 people packed into the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt. 

Ujiarpur MP Nityananad Rai, Apna Dal (S) leader Anupriya Patel, Tumakuru MP V. Somanna were sworn in as Union Ministers of State. TDP leader Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, Agra MP SP Singh Baghel and Bangalore North MP Shobha Karandlaje became the Union Ministers of State, while Gonda MP Kirti Vardhan Singh, Rajya Sabha member B.L. Verma and Bangaon MP Shantanu Thakur the Union Ministers of State.

Thrissur MP Suresh Gopi, Rajya Sabha member L. Murugan and Almora MP Ajay Tamta were sworn in as Union Ministers of State. - PTI

TDP MP Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani with an asset of ₹5700 crore has become the richest minister to join the council of ministers in the 18th Lok Sabha.

Among the ministers with Cabinet rank, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia has the highest asset at ₹484 crore. He has the sixth highest assets among the winning Lok Sabha MPs.

Mr. Pemmasani and Mr. Scindia were the only two to be sworn in as ministers among the top 10 richest winners in the Lok Sabha polls.

Though the BJP this time could not get a majority on its own in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the party-led alliance secured 293 seats out of 543. The majority mark in the lower house is 272. - PTI

Gujarat BJP president Chandrakant Raghunath Paatil, who steered the party to a record win in the state Assembly polls in 2022 and has earned plaudits for his stellar victory margins in Lok Sabha polls, was inducted into the Narendra Modi government, as Union Cabinet Minister. 

While Rao Inderjit Singh became the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Shiv Sena leader Prataprao Jadhav took oath as Union Minister of State (Independent Charge). 

RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary became the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge). 

Pilibhit MP Jitin Prasada, North Goa MP Shripad Yesso Naik and Maharajganj MP Pankaj Chaudhary will be Union Ministers of State. 

Faridabad MP Krishan Pal, RPI(A) leader Ramdas Athawale, JD(U) leader Ramnath Thakur took oath as Ministers of State. - PTI

Nityanand Rai on Sunday took oath as MoS with independent charge. Following Mr. Rai, Anupriya Patel also took oath as a Minister of State.

JD(U) leader and son of former Bihar CM Karpuri Thakur, Ramnath Thakur on Sunday took oath as MoS (independent charge).

Mr. Thakur is the son of the late Chief Minister of Bihar and Bharat Ratna Karpuri Thakur. Earlier in January this year, The Hindu had reported about how political parties in Bihar were vying to clinch themselves as the successor of the state’s socialist icon. While incumbent Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pointed to his party promoting his son Ramnath Thakur into the party ranks, the RJD celebrated the birth centenary with party chief Lalu Prasad Yadav reminiscing the older days with the late Chief Minister. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated back then that Karpoori Thakur’s vision of social justice inspired their governance model. 

Ramdas Athawale on Sunday took oath as Minister of State (independent charge) in the newly inducted Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Rao Inderjit Singh, BJP MP from Gurugram, took oath as MoS (independent charge) in the newly inducted Union Cabinet. Following Mr Singh, Jitendra Singh and Arjun Ram Meghwal also took oath as MoS.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan took oath of office and secrecy after being inducted in the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

The two-time MP of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) from Hajipur has been inducted into the NDA 3.0 cabinet. His party won all the five seats it contested, namely, Jamui, Khagaria, Samastipur, Vaishali and Hajipur. Before joining the NDA fold formally in July last year, the self-proclaimed ‘Hanuman’ of Prime Minister Modi stressed that that his party has always supported the issues presented by the BJP and endeavours to continue doing it. 

G. Kishan Reddy, BJP MP from Secunderabad, took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.

Kiren Rijiju on Sunday took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following Mr. Rijiju, Hardeep Singh Puri and Mansukh Mandaviya also took the oath of office and secrecy.

Bhupendra Yadav, BJP MP from Alwar, took oath as a Cabinet Minister on Sunday. 

Following Mr. Yadav, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat took oath of office and secrecy. Mr. Shekhawat was the Union Cabinet Minister in Ministry of Jal Shakti in the outgoing Lok Sabha.

Jyotiraditya Scindia took oath as a Cabinet Minister on Sunday. 

The Minister for Civil Aviation in the now-erstwhile government, Mr. Scindia successfully competed in his first election since switching allegiance to the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in 2020. He defeated his nearest rival by more than 5.4 lakh votes to regain his family bastion of Guna. During his time at the Congress, Mr. Scindia was elected as a representative in the lower house four times. 

Other than Civil Aviation, the incoming Guna MP was accorded the Minister of Steels in July 2022. 

Prahlad Joshi on Sunday took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Giriraj Singh, BJP MP from Begusarai, also took oath as a Minister on Sunday.

Following Mr. Singh, BJP leader Ashwini Vaishnaw took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet.

Madhya Pradesh BJP leader Virendra Kumar took oath as a Minister on Sunday. He served as the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment in the 17th Lok Sabha.

TDP MP Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu also took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by PM Modi. 

Mr. Naidu became the youngest ever member of the Central Cabinet after taking oath on Sunday.

BJP leader and former Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by PM Narendra Modi.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways in the outgoing Lok Sabha and the MP-elect from Dibrugarh is set to continue his stay at the House of the People and the ministerial council. The former Chief Minister of Assam contested a Lok Sabha election for the first time in 2004 as an Asom Gana Parishad candidate. Mr. Sonowal had defeated former Union Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar in Dibrugarh itself. He joined the BJP in 2011 and got re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 from Lakhimpur. Having forayed as a student leader in 1992, Mr. Sonowal would go on to hold the top administrative post in the state between 2016 and 2021 before returning to Delhi. 

BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan, and former Bihar CM and HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi took oath as Ministers in the new Union Cabinet headed by Narendra Modi.

After Mr. Manjhi, JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh (alias Lalan Singh) took oath as a Minister. 

Piyush Goyal took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

A chartered accountant and a management professional in terms of expertise, Mr. Goyal is set to extend his stay into the NDA 3.0 Cabinet. At varied stages since the NDA returned to power with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm of affairs, Mr. Goyal has managed several portfolios. These include Railways, Finance, Corporate Affairs, Commerce, Textiles, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution. The erstwhile member of the Upper House won from the North Mumbai constituency by a margin of approx. 3.6 lakh votes. Mr. Goyal is the son of late Vedprakash Goyal, Rajya Sabha member who served as the Cabinet Minister for shipping in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government other than officiating as the national treasurer of the party. 

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy took oath as a Minister on Sunday. He was the third former CM, after Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Manohar Lal Khattar, to take oath on Sunday.

Former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar took oath as Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Foreign Minister in the 17th Lok Sabha, S. Jaishankar on Sunday took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Modi. 

The second-generation diplomat served as the foreign secretary, between Jan 2015 to 2018, before his plunge into politics. Mr. Jaishankar was appointed the Minister of External Affairs in May 2019. Prior to this, he has served as the Ambassador of India to the U.S., Singapore and China other than being the High Commissioner of India to Singapore at varied periods of his diplomatic career. In his first tenure as the Foreign Affairs Minister, the former diplomat was at the helm of affairs for facilitating the evacuation of Indian citizens from conflict-ridden regions as Ukraine, Sudan, Afghanistan and recently in Israel. 

Finance Minister in the outgoing Lok Sabha, Nirmala Sitharaman took oath as a Minister in the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The incumbent Finance Minister is the member of the Upper House from Karnataka. Before becoming the Finance Minister during the second term of the Modi Government May 2019 onwards, Ms. Sitharaman also served as the Defence Minister between September 2017 and May 2019. She had also assumed the position of Minister of State for Finance, Corporate Affairs as well as Commerce and Industry during varied periods of the NDA’s stay in power since May 2014. She was first elected to the Upper House in 2014, then in 2016 and accorded the third term in July 2022. 

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took oath as Minister on Sunday. 

The longest serving Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh is preparing for his sixth tenure in Delhi after about two decades. The Gold-medallist master’s in philosophy served as the Chief Minister of the central India state for nearly 18 years — the longest in Madhya Pradesh. The change of guard after the successful Assembly election last year led to three-time MLA Mohan Lal Yadav succeeding him to the top administrative office in Bhopal. Being among the star campaigners for the BJP, he was among the prominent people to have led the party to a total sweep in the state during the now-concluded general elections. He himself won from the Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency by a margin of approximately 8.2 lakh votes. 

BJP president J.P. Nadda on Sunday took oath as Minister in the new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Modi.

Union Home Minister in 17th Lok Sabha Amit Shah and the Defence Minister in the outgoing Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh, took oath following the Prime Minister/

Prime Minister Narendra Modi scripted history on Sunday as he took the oath of office for a third straight term, becoming the first non-Congress leader and second after Jawaharlal Nehru to achieve the feat that few thought possible for a BJP leader until he shook up national politics in 2014.

- PTI

All seven invitees from neighbouring countries arrive ahead of the swearing-in ceremony. Bhutan PM TsheringTobgay, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu, Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth, Nepal PM P.K. Dahal Prachanda, Seychelles Vice President Ahmed Afif, and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived for oath-taking ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. 

In 2014, eight SAARC leaders were invited, in 2019 six BIMSTEC members alongside Mauritius and Kyrgyzstan had attended the swearing-in ceremony.

“I am a party worker first. The people of Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh have elected me to the Lok Sabha for the fifth consecutive time. Being elected to the Lok Sabha for the fifth time is itself a great honour,” Outgoing Union Minister Anurag Thakur told reporters here when asked if he would be getting some key responsibility in Himachal Pradesh as he is not being inducted into PM-elect Narenrda Modi’s new Council of Ministers.

Mr. Thakur said that “the BJP has given me the opportunity to contest the Lok Sabha polls five times. There cannot be a bigger opportunity than this for me”.

“I worked as a party worker in the past and would continue to work as a party worker in the future. Our entire effort is to take India on the path of progress. All of us will walk together because India is important, the Modi government is important and the country’s progress is important,” he said.

- PTI

It is an NDA government that is taking oath this time and not a “Modi government”, RJD leader Manoj Jha said on Sunday and expressed hope that the ruling dispensation will work on issues such as providing employment.

Mr. Jha also said the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) will not attend the swearing-in ceremony and the INDIA coalition will be represented by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

“The NDA government is taking oath today ... After a long time, it is not the Modi government anymore, it is the NDA government,” Mr. Jha told PTI Videos.

“We hope it will create less polarisation in society this time, the lives of the weaker sections are improved and the government is free of crony capitalism. The biggest requirement of youngsters today is employment, so employment is a big issue, he should work on it,” the RJD leader added.

- PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party wanted a cabinet berth in the Narendra Modi government and declined an offer from the BJP of Minister of State (MoS) with independent charge.

“We had offered one berth of minister with independent charge to the NCP but it was insistent that (Rajya Sabha MP) Praful Patel’s name be finalised. Due to his (Patel’s) experience, the NCP believed he could not be made MoS with independent charge,” he said.

“In a coalition government, a formula has to be drawn, which cannot be broken for one party. I can confidently say whenever cabinet expansion takes place, the (Union) government will consider the NCP. We did try to include NCP right now, but they insisted on cabinet portfolio,” the senior BJP leader asserted.

- PTI

BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu on Sunday said that he is “very happy” to have been chosen to be inducted into Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers.

“It is a very big thing for me that they (NDA) have chosen me in their cabinet even after losing the elections. Punjab has been given priority this time...I will prepare the ground for BJP to win the Assembly elections in 2027,” Mr. Bittu said.

The BJP leader and three-time former Congress MP was present at a tea meeting hosted at the 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence of the Prime Minister earlier today.

“...Just two years ago, the people of Punjab rejected Congress, everyone knows about the work being done by the Aam Aadmi Party. So, people have only one option which is BJP...I would like to become the Chief Minister of Punjab if given a chance...,” Mr. Bittu said.

- ANI

Will India’s new Finance Minister support the global effort for a “billionaire tax” and will the Prime Minister stand with the common people or billionaires, the Congress asked on Sunday, ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of a new government.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at the BJP-led government and asked if it has taken “too many tempos of black money” to take such a progressive step.

“This year, the one-third Pradhan Mantri has a chance to show whether it stands with the common people, or with billionaires. At the G20 in Brazil, a proposal to set a Global Minimum Tax on billionaires will be discussed, backed by finance ministers of Brazil, France, Spain, South Africa, and Germany,” the Congress general secretary said in a post on X.

“Will India’s next finance minister support the global effort for a ‘billionaire tax’? Or have they taken too many tempos of black money to take any such progressive step?” he asked.

- PTI

Narendra Modi will be a “weak Prime Minister” in his third term as the BJP did not get the majority on its own in the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Alka Lamba said.

“A weak Prime Minister is taking oath, this PM does not have the majority. The autocrat is falling weak. He was asking for 400 seats to change the Constitution. He did not even get the majority,” Ms. Lamba, who was in Srinagar to interact with the Mahila Congress leaders and workers, told PTI Videos.

She claimed the Opposition achieved a “victory” in saving democracy in the country. “He (Mr. Modi) won’t be able to crush democracy. He won’t be able to deny the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the country. This is our victory,” Ms. Lamba added.

Top leaders from India’s neighbourhood and the Indian Ocean region, including Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, arrived in Delhi on June 9 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and the Union Council of Ministers.

Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay also reached Delhi for the ceremony where Mr. Modi will take the oath for the third straight term along with his ministerial colleagues. Bangladesh President Sheikh Hasina and Vice-President of Seychelles Ahmed Afif arrived in Delhi on June 8. Among the foreign leaders, Mr. Muizzu’s visit has assumed greater significance as it came against the backdrop of the ties between India and the Maldives witnessing significant strain.

PTI

A jeweller from Jammu affiliated with BJP has crafted a 3-kg lotus flower — the symbol of the party — in pure silver as a gift for Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on assuming office for the third term on June 9.

Rinku Chauhan, a resident of Muthi village on the outskirts of Jammu, said the idea to present the unique gift to Mr. Modi came to his mind after the BJP Government fulfilled its promise of revoking Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 and constructed Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.

PTI

A war of words between the TMC and the BJP broke out, hours before Narendra Modi will be sworn in as the Prime Minister for the third term.

While Kolkata mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim predicted that the NDA coalition government would not last long, BJP leader Arjun Singh suggested that Mr. Hakim should be more concerned about his political future.

Mr. Singh, who was defeated by the TMC in West Bengal’s Barrackpore constituency, confirmed that he had received an invitation to attend Mr. Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on Sunday.

Echoing party supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s stance, Mr. Hakim told reporters that the NDA Government would be short-lived and labelled the swearing-in as “temporary.” 

PTI

About 50 people from the transgender community have been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and the new Cabinet of Ministers to give them blessings.

Before the ceremony, BJP MP and former Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar felicitated the community members at his residence.

“This is a part of Prime Minister Modi’s call of ‘ sabka saath sabka vishwas and sabha prayas’. Including people from transgenders in the ceremony is to enhance the inclusivity message of the PM,” Mr. Kumar told media.

This is the first time that people from the transgender community are formally invited for the swearing-in ceremony, he said.

PTI

Senior BJP leader and Former Karnataka Minister V. Somanna said he will honestly work towards fulfilling the expectations of the party leadership on him as the Minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet, which will be sworn in this evening.

He said he has no expectations regarding the portfolio and will serve in the department assigned to him by the Prime Minister with an aim to ensure that the government’s benefits reach the people.

PTI

In a scathing attack on the Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) chief H.D. Deve Gowda slammed the Opposition party for its “arrogance and negativity” while extending his party’s full support to the new NDA Government led by Narendra Modi.

Mr. Gowda’s remarks came as he thanked PM Modi for offering a Cabinet position to the JD(S), assuring that his party’s Minister will serve the coalition with “total commitment”. His son and former Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy will make a debut in national politics and take oath as part of Mr. Modi’s new Council of Ministers.

PTI

Two-time Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar who won the 2024 general elections from Karnal constituency and is among the probable Ministers in Narendra Modi’s new government said that the latter has asked all those who attended a customary high tea meeting hosted by him today to stay back in the national capital for the next 24 hours. Mr. Khattar was among those present at a high tea ceremony organised at the Prime Minister’s 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence ahead of the oath-taking ceremony this evening.

The former Haryana CM said, “It has become a tradition of Narendra Modi that he calls people to his residence for a tea meeting. He only calls those whom he wants to induct into his cabinet. Some formalities were to be done, which I have completed. He has asked us to stay in Delhi for the next 24 hours. Other than me, Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar from Haryana were also present in the meeting...”

ANI

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi took a dig at Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi over his third time swearing in as PM. Sonia Gandhi said Mr. Modi lost the mandate he sought and criticised him for not taking “responsibility for failure.”

“The Prime Minister who sought the mandate solely in his name to the exclusion of both his party and its allies has suffered a political and worse, a moral defeat. In reality, he has lost the mandate he sought and thereby lost the right to leadership as well,” Sonia Gandhi said while addressing the extended CWC meeting. 

“Yet, far from taking responsibility for failure, he intends to get himself sworn in again. We do not expect him to change the substance and style of his governance, nor take cognizance of the will of the people,” she added.

ANI

Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay said Narendra Modi might be taking oath as Prime Minister for a third term, but he does not have a mandate like Jawaharlal Nehru, the only other PM to have three consecutive terms, had.

Mr. Bandyopadhyay, who was on re-elected as the leader of the TMC in Lok Sabha, also said the Opposition will play a positive role in the functioning of Parliament. “People have given some opinion in his (PM Modi) favour... But it is not like Nehru ji (who) had the verdict behind him,” he said.

PTI

Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar met party workers at his residence in Delhi on June 9. The Janata Dal (United) is set to join the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre and party workers greeted Nitish Kumar ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the Union Council of Ministers. JD(U) won 12 Lok Sabha seats from Bihar and is a crucial member of the NDA.

ANI

Amid reports that BJP national general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar is likely to be inducted in the Union Council of Ministers, his family expressed happiness and thanked the BJP party’s leaders and cadres. Speaking to reporters at Mr. Kumar’s Karimnagar residence, his wife Aparna said this would be the best moment in their life.

“We are all very happy and thank everyone. We thank BJP party leaders and workers. It is due to everyone’s hard work and prayers that we are here. It is due to (Goddess) Mata Rani’s blessings we are seeing this day. We are very blessed to have this day. I think this is the best moment we have in our life,” she said.

PTI

Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers, the lone BJP MP from Kerala, Suresh Gopi, left for New Delhi with his family. Reacting to queries from reporters while rushing to the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, Mr. Gopi said that Mr. Modi has asked him to reach the national capital immediately.

The actor-cum-politician, who achieved a historic win for the BJP in Kerala by taking the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat, said he presently has no clue about what role he will be given in the new NDA Government. That decision has been taken by the PM, he said. “I am obeying my Prime Minister and my Home Minister — my national leaders.” The actor also said that “celebrations have to go on”.

PTI

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will likely attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on behalf of the Opposition. He will be attending it as the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

An invite was sent to Mr. Kharge and Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

- Nistula Hebbar

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will join the Union Council of Ministers today evening along with PM-designate Narendra Modi. Mr. Shekhawat won from Jodhpur Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections by 1,15,677 votes.

Mr. Shekhawat told PTI reporters that he will work as part of a team under Mr. Modi and fulfil all the promises and live up to the country’s expectations and aspirations.

Mr. Shekhawat, who served as Union Jal Shakti Minister and Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, thanked Mr. Modi for giving him a chance for the third time.

- Nistula Hebbar

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, said Sudip Bandyopadhyay, the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha. “BJP leader Prahlad Joshi had called and invited us to attend the swearing-in ceremony, but our party has decided not to participate,” Mr. Bandyopadhyay said.

Earlier, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had announced that the party would not attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new government. “Neither have we received an invitation nor are we attending it,” she had said.

Santanu Thakur, one of the 12 BJP MPs from Bengal, is likely to get a ministerial berth, sources said. Mr. Thakur, the former Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, neither confirmed nor denied receiving an invitation to the tea event. During a closed-door meeting with MPs, Ms. Banerjee expressed her belief that the NDA government would not complete its full term.

PTI

JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has allowed him to serve as a Minister in the new Cabinet that will be sworn in this evening, and credited the people of “ Kannada Naadu” for it. While maintaining that he has not placed a demand for any portfolio, the former Chief Minister reiterated his desire to be the Agriculture Minister.

“Under Narendra Modi’s leadership, a decision has been made, after discussion with BJP national President (J.P. Nadda), Home Minister (Amit Shah) and Defence Minister (Rajnath Singh). They have identified me and given me an opportunity. The entire credit for this has to go to people of Kannada Naadu in my opinion,” Mr. Kumaraswamy said.

PTI

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at the Narendra Modi-led NDA ahead of the swearing in ceremony, saying the new government will be stuck in limbo.

In a post on X, Mr. Yadav said “ Upar se koi taar nahi, neeche koi aadhar nahi. Adhar me jo latki hui wo to koi ‘sarkar’ nahi” which essentially means that the new government’s fate is hanging in balance.

The SP had contested the Lok Sabha polls as INDIA bloc ally and has won 37 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh.

BJP leaders Manohar Lal Khattar, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Ravneet Singh Bittu may be among the new faces in the Union Council of Ministers which will be sworn in on today evening along with Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi.

Senior party leaders like Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Nirmala Sitharaman and Mansukh Mandaviya are being seen as a certainty in the new government, PTI sources said.

Shiv Sena’s Prataprao Jadhav, BJP’s C.R. Paatil, who is president of its Gujarat unit, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rao Inderjit Singh, Nityanand Rai, Bhagirath Choudhary and Harsh Malhotra may also be inducted as Ministers, PTI sources said. Most of the leaders mentioned met Mr. Modi over tea, a custom he has followed before the Cabinet formation exercise since 2014.

BJP MPs Jitin Prasada from Uttar Pradesh and Raksha Khadse from Maharashtra are also tipped to be part of the new government. Khadse confirmed to the media that she has received a call to be part of the government. A source told news agency PTI Ms. Sitharaman, the outgoing Finance Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal and Kiren Rijiju, both outgoing Ministers as well, will also be taking oath.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay arrived in Delhi to attend Mr. Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. 

Bangladesh President Sheikh Hasina and Vice-President of Seychelles Ahmed Afif arrived in Delhi on Saturday. 

Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe are also attending the ceremony. 

“The visit of the leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister 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 Ministry of External Affairs said.

India has been cooperating with the countries of the Indian Ocean region under the broader policy framework of SAGAR or Security and Growth for all in the Region. 

In addition to participating in the swearing-in ceremony, the foreign leaders will also attend a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu. Mr. Modi is likely to hold separate bilateral meetings with the leaders.

-PTI

Security has been beefed up in parts of New Delhi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.

A multi-layer security arrangement involving five companies of paramilitary personnel, NSG commandoes and snipers ar deployed around the Rashtrapati Bhawan. “More than 2,500 police personnel, including five companies of paramilitary and Delhi Armed Police (DAP) jawans, have already been deployed around the venue,” a Delhi Police officer said.

“We have restricted traffic movement, diversions of traffic, installing of barricadings. No one will be allowed to breach law and order situation,” the officer said.

​Read the report here.​

Telangana BJP MP Bandi Sanjay to be inducted into the Union Council of Ministers.

- The Hindu Bureau

Telugu Desam Party (TDP)‘s MP-elect Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu will be the youngest-ever Union Minister in Mr. Modi’s new Cabinet.

The 36-year-old won for a third consecutive time from Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam constituency in the Lok Sabha elections. He is set to continue the legacy of his father, senior TDP leader and Yerran Naidu who became a Union Minister in 1996 at the age of 39. He served in the cabinets of Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujaral in the United Front Government from 1996-1998. 

Mr. Naidu contested and won as the Lok Sabha MP from Srikakulam in 2014 at the age of 26, making waves as the second youngest MP in the 16th Lok Sabha. He was the TDP’s floor leader in the outgoing Lok Sabha.

He was honoured with the Sansad Ratna Award in 2020 for his extraordinary performance as an MP. His decision to take paternity leave during the 2021 budget sessions for his wife’s pregnancy sparked healthy discussions on gender rights and education. 

-ANI

Superstar Rajinikanth said Narendra Modi assuming office for the third term as Prime Minister is a big achievement and people have ensured a strong Opposition, which is is a healthy sign for democracy.

Speaking to reporters before leaving for Delhi from his residence, he said after Jawaharlal Nehru, Narendra Modi will be taking over as PM for the third term in office, an achievement.

While speaking to reporters at the Chennai airport, he said, “Assuming office for the third consecutive term is Narendra Modi’s big achievement, my hearty greetings to him. People have elected a robust Opposition which is a healthy sign for democracy.” 

Mr. Rajinikanth is set to attend Mr. Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. 

-PTI

Maharashtra’s representation in the new NDA cabinet - While veterans Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur) and Piyush Goyal (Mumbai North) are set to be re-inducted in the new Union cabinet, sources said the BJP’s Raksha Khadse, a three-term MP from Raver in Jalgaon and first-time MP from Pune, Murlidhar Mohol (Pune) will get a shot at being first-time Central ministers. 

Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Prataprao Jadhav, four-term MP from Buldhana, has also received a call from the PMO and will be part of the new Cabinet.

RPI’s Ram Das Athawale and Nirmala Sitharaman are also likely to take oath as Ministers today.

-The Hindu Bureau

JD(U) leaders Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh (the party’s MP from Munger Lok Sabha seat), Rajya Sabha MP Ramnath Thakur, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Chirag Paswan (MP from Hajipur Reserved constituency) and Jitan Ram Manjhi (Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) MP from Gaya Reserved constituency) are to be inducted into new Cabinet.

- The Hindu Bureau

Some newly elected MPs, who are likely to be sworn in as Union Ministers in the third NDA government today, have been called for a meeting with Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi at his residence in New Delhi at 11.30 a.m.

Sources said a top BJP functionary has called the BJP MPs for the meeting without disclosing the purpose. It is believed they are likely to be appointed as Union Ministers this evening, they said.

Meanwhile, TDP MP Jayadev Galla, wrote on ‘X’ that party MP Ram Mohan Naidu will take oath as a Minister and another MP Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani will be made a Minister of State.

- PTI

Taking a swipe at Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, the Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that he will get himself sworn in this evening as “the leader of the Narendra Destructive Alliance (NDA)“ even though he lacks all legitimacy.

“A vastly diminished ‘one-third’ Pradhan Mantri, now lacking all legitimacy, has managed to get himself sworn this evening, as the leader of the Narendra Destructive Alliance (NDA),” he said in a post in Tamil on X.

Ten Vande Bharat loco pilots will participate in PM Modi’s oath-taking ceremony in New Delhi. 

Loco pilots and assistant loco pilots were nominated from West Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway, South Central Railway, South Western Railway, Northern Railway and North Frontier Railway. 

Some employees working in the making of the Vande Bharat and Vande Metro rakes have also been invited, railway sources added.

S. Vijay Kumar reports

Vande Bharath loco pilots to attend Modi’s swearing-in ceremony

According to sources in the Southern Railway, Aishwarya Menon of Chennai Division was among the invitees. Other loco pilots and assistant loco pilots were nominated from West Central Railway, North Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway, South Central Railway, South Western Railway, Northern Railway and North Frontier Railway. 

India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy will be on full display at the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi. Several leaders of neighbouring countries will be attending the event.

Here’s the ​expected guest list​.

TDP’s Ram Mohan Naidu and Pemmasani Chandrashekhar will be a part of Mr. Modi’s Cabinet. Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Pralhad Joshi will be made Ministers. Janata Dal (S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy will also be a Minister.

-The Hindu Bureau

Mr. Modi paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sadaiv Atal in Delhi today.

NDA allies are set to get key berths in the new Cabinet. Sources told The Hindu that the TDP, JD (U), the Shiv Sena, the LJP and the JD(S) are set to get ministerial berths. 

The BJP’s former Chief Ministers who won the Lok Sabha election such as Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Basavaraj Bommai, Manohar Lal Khattar and Sarbananda Sonowal may also be accommodated.

INDIA bloc members will take a call later today on attending the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers.