NEW DELHI: After less-than-expected election results left him dependent on coalition partners for government, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the oath of office on Sunday for a third term.
A 71-member cabinet, including 11 ministers who are allies of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), would be appointed, according to his office.
Despite confounding exit surveys, Modi’s Hindu nationalist BJP, which had ruled the country unchallenged for the previous ten years, was unable to repeat its two resounding victories. Rather, he was compelled to engage in urgent negotiations with the 15-member alliance NDA, which ensured he would have the legislative majority needed to rule.
At a ceremony to celebrate his official assumption of power, Modi pledged to “bear true allegiance to the constitution of India,” flanked by senior BJP officials and coalition party leaders.
It is anticipated that his new cabinet would be smaller than the previous one.
Leaders from neighboring Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, as well as those from China and Pakistan, were present at the ceremony.
In addition to superstars like Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan and billionaire businessmen Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, who are important allies of Modi, the audience also featured fervent BJP supporters.
However, as Modi has not yet revealed the composition of his cabinet, observers were closely observing the procession of lawmakers taking the oath of office as a sign of who will lead the country.
Bigger coalition parties have made significant demands in return for their backing. Ram Mohan Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party, which has 16 seats and is the largest BJP ally, was among the other coalition leaders to take the oath. According to media reports, Naidu is expected to win four cabinet posts.
With 12 seats and the potential for two minister posts, the Janata Dal (United), the BJP’s next-largest ally, also had Rajiv Ranjan Singh take the oath.
Indian media extensively stated that the BJP will continue to have control of the top positions, which included the four most important positions in international, finance, defense, and interior affairs. The Times of India reported that the BJP had attempted to “pare down” the demands of their allies, while the Hindustan Times detailed days of “hectic talks”.
Modi had 81 ministers in his previous government.
“Additional consultation”
However, pundits predicted that the partnership will change legislative politics and compel Modi’s once-dominant BJP to adopt a little more accommodative stance.
The BJP has historically enjoyed trust due to its overwhelming majority, according to Sajjan Kumar, the director of the PRACCIS political research organization in Delhi. “The BJP will now be forced to participate in more consultations by the coalition.”
Jawaharlal Nehru University political analyst Zoya Hasan warned that Modi might be “meeting his match” in the “crafty politicians” of the TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu and JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar.
