India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was sworn in on Sunday for a third term after worse-than-expected election results left him reliant on coalition partners to govern. Modi, flanked by officials from his Hindu nationalist party and leaders of his coalition members, vowed in a ceremony marking his formal assumption of power to “bear true allegiance to the constitution of India”. Modi was followed immediately by top BJP aides Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari – the defence, interior and transport ministers in his last government respectively. Wearing a gleaming white kurta flowing shirt and trousers, Modi was the first of several ministers and deputy ministers sworn in by President Droupadi Murmu at the ceremony attended by several thousand people. The crowd included adoring BJP loyalists, as well as South Asian leaders, Bollywood celebrities such as legend Shahrukh Khan, and billionaire tycoons Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, key Modi allies.

Source: Punch June 09, 2024 17:11 UTC