New Delhi / Chennai: Tight security arrangements are being made at Rashtrapati Bhavan for the high-profile swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, for the second time, tomorrow.
This will be the fourth time that a Prime Minister is administered oath of office in the Rashtrapati Bhavan’s forecourt. The ceremony, traditionally, takes place at Darbar Hall.
A record 6,500 guests are likely to attend the event. In 2014, approximately 5,000 people attended the ceremony.
The function is scheduled to take place at 7 pm and will be attended by leaders from BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) nations.
The list includes Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and also Nepal and Bhutan.
“The following leaders have confirmed their participation at the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister: Md Abdul Hamid, President of Bangladesh; Maithripala Sirisena, President of Sri Lanka; Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic; U Win Myint, President of Myanmar; the Hon. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius; Rt Hon K P Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of Nepal; Dr Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan; and Grisada Boonrach, Special Envoy of Thailand,” a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.
Tamilnadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao are also expected to attend the ceremony, apart from film stars like Rajinikanth.
The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance won 353 seats in which BJP alone won 303 seats forming the government with simple majority. The Indian National Congress party won 52 seats, and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, 91. Other parties and their alliances won 98 seats.
The general elections were held in seven phases and results announced 23 May.
Modi on Tuesday met BJP chief Amit Shah at his official residence to finalise the members of the new Council of Ministers including those who will be part of the Cabinet. Sources said during the meeting, which lasted five hours, the two leaders finalised the names of new ministers.
Speculations are rife that Shah would also join the Cabinet, but BJP sources have dismissed the rumours as mere ‘speculation’.
WHERE TO WATCH
Live telecast of the swearing-in of Modi and Union Council of Ministers can be seen on all Doordarshan channels on 30 May from 6.30 pm. The ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan will also be live streamed on the YouTube channel of Doordarshan.
(With agency inputs.)