Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to be sworn in this weekend for a third term after an unexpectedly close election forced his party to seek support from coalition partners.
Modi and his ministers will take the oath of office on Sunday evening, according to a statement from President Droupadi Murmu’s office on Friday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has led with an outright majority for the past decade, failed to replicate its previous two landslide victories. This outcome defied analysts’ expectations and exit polls, leading to swift negotiations with the 15-member National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coalition to secure the necessary parliamentary majority.
Modi presented signed letters of support to President Murmu, who invited him to form the next government. “I thank the people that they gave the NDA government a third chance to serve them,” Modi said Friday evening. He expressed his gratitude, stating, “This is the opportunity and will of the people and I thank them with my heart for this opportunity.”
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Earlier, Modi addressed nearly 300 lawmakers from his coalition inside India’s parliament, thanking them for their unanimous support. This meeting served as a formality following the guaranteed backing from the leaders of each party this week and showcased the unity within the new government.
“Modi has a vision and a zeal, and his execution is perfect, and he is executing all his policies with a true spirit,” said Chandrababu Naidu, the leader of the premier’s largest coalition party ally. “Today India has the right leader for the right time -– that is, Narendra Modi.”
Other party leaders showed their support by adorning Modi with a garland of purple flowers, while Nitish Kumar, another key supporter, touched Modi’s feet in a traditional gesture of respect.
The NDA coalition will hold 293 seats in the lower house of parliament out of 543. Although it remains unclear what concessions were made for coalition support, media reports suggest several allies are seeking significant ministerial positions.
