Narendra Modi to Take Oath as Prime Minister for Third Consecutive Term on Sunday Evening

New Delhi: Narendra Modi will be sworn in as the Prime Minister for the third consecutive time on Sunday evening. Initially, it was reported that the oath-taking ceremony would occur on Saturday.

Mr. Modi was chosen as the head of the NDA on Wednesday, paving the way for him to become the Prime Minister for the third straight time, making him only the second Indian to do so after Jawaharlal Nehru.

Several South Asian leaders have been invited to the ceremony. Confirmations of attendance have already been received from Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Invitations have also been extended to Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, and Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, whose results were declared on Tuesday, the BJP’s seat count fell from 303 in 2019 to 240. The NDA, which had won 352 seats last time, now has 293 seats but remains above the majority mark of 272.

This situation means that PM Modi and the BJP need support from their allies to form the government, a scenario not faced since 2014. The two largest allies are Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party, which secured 16 seats, and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal United, which won 12 seats.

Both Mr. Naidu and Mr. Kumar, who have previously allied with the Congress, are believed to have made specific demands in return for their support. In addition to representation in the Cabinet and certain ministries, both parties have set forth other conditions.

The TDP has requested the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, which sources say the BJP is unlikely to concede, possibly offering the Deputy Speaker position instead. JDU sources indicate that the party may demand a Common Minimum Programme for the NDA and for Mr. Kumar to lead a committee to implement it if and when it is established.