By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Narendra Modi has been inaugurated as India's prime minister for a third term in a grand ceremony held at Delhi's presidential palace. The leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took his oath, pledging to serve all citizens impartially.
Modi's BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured victory in the general election with 293 seats, a result lower than the exit polls had anticipated. The election saw a strong performance by the opposition, which garnered 234 seats.
Thousands of guests attended the inauguration, including leaders from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, while representatives from Pakistan and China were absent. Delhi was under tight security, declared a no fly zone, with over 2,500 police officers deployed around the venue.
During the ceremony, President Draupadi Murmu administered the oath to Modi, who affirmed his commitment to upholding India's sovereignty and integrity and governing with "true faith and allegiance to the constitution." Modi reiterated his promise to serve all people fairly, without fear or favor.
Members of Modi's new cabinet were also sworn in. At 73, Modi becomes the second Indian leader to win three consecutive terms, following the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Despite exit polls predicting an outright victory for the BJP, the party lost its parliamentary majority, relying on key allies, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United) JD(U), to form the government.
On Friday, elected MPs chose Modi as the leader of the Lok Sabha, the BJP parliamentary party, and the NDA. The concessions sought by his allies for their support remain unclear, though media reports suggest they are seeking significant ministerial posts.
The opposition INDIA alliance, led by the Congress party, has labeled the election a mandate against Modi's government. Modi refuted this claim, stating, "Opposition tried to paint 2024 Lok Sabha results as a loss for us. But we didn’t lose, we never lost, we will never lose." He expressed gratitude to voters and pledged to combat corruption and poverty, emphasizing the empowerment of the poor and middle class as a priority.
Throughout the campaign, Modi and his party faced criticism for alleged hate speech, targeting the Muslim minority, and jailing opposition figures. On Friday, Modi asserted the NDA's commitment to "sarva panth sambhava" (religious equality). The INDIA alliance has committed to holding the government accountable and protecting the constitution in parliament.