Amit Shah in 58-strong ministry of ‘youth and experience’
NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi was on Thursday sworn in as the Prime Minister for a second term helming a 58-member ministry with BJP chief Amit Shah making his debut at the Centre and former foreign secretary S Jaishankar emerging as a surprise pick while party veteran Sushma Swaraj was among the outgoing ministers who found no place.
Wearing a beige Nehru jacket, Modi, 68, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by President Ram Nath Kovind at a glittering ceremony at the forecourt of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan, capping a landslide win for the BJP which won 303 of the 542 seats.
Besides 25 Cabinet ministers including Modi, Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Piyush Goyal and Jaishankar, nine were sworn in as Minister of State with Independent charge and another 24 as Minister of State.
“Honoured to serve India!” tweeted Modi after taking the oath. He said the team is a “blend of youthful energy and administrative experience.” He said it has people who have excelled as parliamentarians and those who have had distinguished professional careers. “Together, we will work for India’s progress,” he said.
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, a former diplomat who lost the elections, managed to retain his berth. Jaishankar and Puri will have to enter Parliament within 6 months and they could take the Rajya Sabha route.
Portfolios for the new ministers were not announced amid reports that Shah may get the Finance portfolio and Rajnath retaining Home. Smriti Irani, who earned the tag of giant killer for defeating Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in his home turf in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, was among the six women ministers.
There are 20 new ministers.
While the inclusion of Shah, seen as BJP’s key strategist who helped the party expand its base after taking over the reins of the party in 2014, was the subject of intense speculation since the party’s spectacular victory on May 23, Jaishankar, considered close to Modi, was a surprise pick. A seasoned diplomat, Jaishankar was the Indian government’s pointsman for China and the US.
As the sun set over the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the two-hour swearing-in ceremony commenced with 8,000 people packing into the forecourt of the historic British-era presidential palace. In a grand ceremony with overtones of a US presidential inauguration, heads of state and government, chief ministers, India Inc honchos, opposition leaders, BJP members and showbiz stars rubbed shoulders as they watched President Kovind administer the oath of office. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were among those who were present. The two-hour ceremony is the largest event to be held in Rashtrapati Bhavan, officials said.
Leaders of BIMSTEC countries including President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, President of Myanmar U Win Myint and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering also attended the gala event. From Thailand, its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach represented the country. Besides India, BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) comprises Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan as members. Kyrgyz President and current chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth also attended. (PTI)