Modi to take oath as India PM on Thursday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath for his second term at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday 7 pm, President Ram Nath Kovind has tweeted. PM Modi had met President Kovind and staked claim to form the government at the centre last evening. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance had won a resounding majority in the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday, securing 352 seats in the 545-member lower house of parliament.

Names of new ministers has been kept under wraps but President Kovind's tweet indicated that PM Modi's cabinet of ministers will join him in taking oath. The government has also not announced the guest list for the swearing-in ceremony. In 2014, leaders of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) were invited and attended the ceremony - they included Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan.

But PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, his closest aide, are believed to be keen on including newer faces in the council of ministers. West Bengal, where the BJP has made a phenomenal career advancement, jumping from two to 18 seats, could get big representation.

The PM and Mr Shah have so far not indicated a decision on the "Big 4" - Home, Finance, External Affairs and Defence either.

A closely-watched call will be whether to keep senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley as Finance Minister despite his poor health, or assign Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal to the job of leading Asia's third-largest economy. Mr Goyal, 54, had stepped into the role twice when Mr Jaitley was ill. Mr Goyal presented an interim budget before the election and a full budget is due after the new government takes office.

Modi to take oath as India PM on Thursday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath for his second term at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday 7 pm, President Ram Nath Kovind has tweeted. PM Modi had met President Kovind and staked claim to form the government at the centre last evening. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance had won a resounding majority in the Lok Sabha elections on Thursday, securing 352 seats in the 545-member lower house of parliament. Names of new ministers has been kept under wraps but President Kovinds tweet indicated that PM Modis cabinet of ministers will join him in taking oath. The government has also not announced the guest list for the swearing-in ceremony. In 2014, leaders of the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) were invited and attended the ceremony - they included Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan. But PM Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, his closest aide, are believed to be keen on including newer faces in the council of ministers. West Bengal, where the BJP has made a phenomenal career advancement, jumping from two to 18 seats, could get big representation. The PM and Mr Shah have so far not indicated a decision on the Big 4 - Home, Finance, External Affairs and Defence either. A closely-watched call will be whether to keep senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley as Finance Minister despite his poor health, or assign Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal to the job of leading Asias third-largest economy. Mr Goyal, 54, had stepped into the role twice when Mr Jaitley was ill. Mr Goyal presented an interim budget before the election and a full budget is due after the new government takes office.