New Delhi: The BJP’s supreme commander, Narendra Damodardas Modi, began his second stint as India’s Prime Minister in a grand ceremony held at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.
In Mr Modi’s 2.0 reign, the first major surprise was BJP chief Amit Anilchandra Shah’s entry into the Union council of ministers and the second was the induction of former foreign secretary S. Jaishankar, who may take over the external affairs ministry from Sushma Swaraj. Till Thursday evening the speculation was that Ms Swaraj would return as external affairs minister. That she was out of the race became clear when Ms Swaraj walked in some time before the swearing-in ceremony and sat in the audience, with other senior party leaders.
While 58 ministers, including those from NDA allies, took the oath of office and secrecy, simmering differences between the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) and the BJP surfaced. Upset over the Prime Minister’s refusal to concede its demand for three ministerial berths, including two Cabinet rank ministers and one minister of state, Mr Kumar’s JD(U) decided not to join the government.
Of the 58 ministers sworn in, including the Prime Minister, 25 were Cabinet ministers, nine ministers of state (independent charge) and 24 ministers of state. The new government will hold its first Cabinet meeting on Friday. The first Shah joins Modi Cabinet 2.0; Sushma, Prabhu dropped meeting of the new Cabinet will take place at South Block at 5 pm on Friday.
People watch the swearing-in ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan’s forecourt in New Delhi. (Photo PTI)
Nearly 8,000 guests, which included the Bimstec leaders, politicians, corporate bosses and Bollywood stars, attended the swearing-in-ceremony, making it one of the biggest events ever held at Raisina Hill.
The grand swearing-in ceremony was attended by several Opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
After the electoral rout, this was Mr Gandhi’s first public appearance. Among those present were also former President Pratibha Patil, veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani, Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and spiritual guru Jaggi Vasudev.
The BJP had also sent invites to many of its social media warriors who were seen clicking selfies and photographs, with the majestic dome splashed in tricoloured lights in the background.
Amit Shah greets President before taking oath as Cabinet minister.
Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani, industry icon Ratan Tata, steel baron L.N. Mittal and Adani Group head Gautam Adani were among the who’s who of Corporate India present. Movie stars including Rajinikanth, filmmaker Karan Johar, Shahid Kapoor, Boney Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut were also present.
Five minutes before 7 pm, clad in his trademark jacket and white kurta, Mr Modi arrived in his cavalcade as chants of “Modi, Modi” echoed across the forecourt. The National Anthem played after President Ram Nath Kovind arrived. Amidst frenzied cries of “Modi, Modi”, “Har Har Mahadev” and “Bharat Mata ki Jai”, Mr Modi took the oath a couple of minutes after 7 pm for the second time to lead the nation, becoming India’s 16th PM.
After him, Rajnath Singh took the oath and loud cheers rang out as Amit Shah’s name was then called out. The other loud cheer to go up was for the BJP’s “giant killer” Smriti Irani, who took over the Gandhi turf of Amethi by trouncing Rahul Gandhi in the election.
Some prominent ministers who missed the bus included former minister of state for I&B minister Rajyavardhan Rathore, minister of state for civil aviation Jayant Sinha and former commerce minister Suresh Prabhu.
In Team Modi 2.0, there are 20 new faces including former Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda, the party’s Telangana leader G. Kishan Reddy, Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur and social activist and first-time MP from Odisha’s Balasore Pratap Sarangi. The Balasore MP was greeted with loud cheers and a standing ovation from party supporters who were invited for the swearing-in ceremony.
After the oath-taking ceremony was over, the foreign dignitaries had photo sessions with Mr Modi and his new ministers.
