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Modi Begins Second Term as India’s Prime Minister After Crushing Victory Modi Begins Second Term as India’s Prime Minister After Crushing Victory
(about 5 hours later)
NEW DELHI — Narendra Modi, who crushed doubts about his place as one of India’s most dominant leaders in recent history by winning another landslide victory this month, was sworn in for his second term as prime minister on Thursday, in a ceremony attended by as many as 8,000 guests.NEW DELHI — Narendra Modi, who crushed doubts about his place as one of India’s most dominant leaders in recent history by winning another landslide victory this month, was sworn in for his second term as prime minister on Thursday, in a ceremony attended by as many as 8,000 guests.
Security remained tight around the massive presidential mansion, as national leaders and other dignitaries began arriving in New Delhi early on Thursday. In a clear sign of the magnitude of Mr. Modi’s victory — his Bharatiya Janata Party was the first in more than three decades to win a clear majority in consecutive elections — officials had said that his swearing-in would be the largest event ever held on the mansion’s 300-acre grounds. Security remained tight around the massive presidential mansion in New Delhi, as national leaders and other dignitaries arrived. In a clear sign of the magnitude of Mr. Modi’s victory — his Bharatiya Janata Party was the first in more than three decades to win a clear majority in consecutive elections — officials said that his swearing-in was the largest event ever held on the mansion’s 300-acre grounds.
“The president will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the prime minister and other members of the union council of ministers at 7 p.m.,” the office of India’s largely ceremonial president, Ram Nath Kovind, had said in a statement. The guest list at the two-hour ceremony struck a balance between the ascent of Mr. Modi’s party as the country’s dominant political force, and Mr. Modi’s ambitions of projecting India as a global power, particularly in a region where China has made deep inroads.
The evening ceremony was to strike a balance between the ascent of Mr. Modi’s party as the country’s dominant political force, and Mr. Modi’s ambitions of projecting India as a global power, particularly in a region where China has made deep inroads. The list of foreign leaders indicated that Mr. Modi would continue to focus on “neighbors first”: It included leaders from Bhutan, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
The list of leaders expected to attend the ceremony indicated that Mr. Modi would continue to focus on “neighbors first”: It included leaders from Bhutan, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka. On the first trip abroad of his new term, Mr. Modi is expected to visit another neighbor, the Maldives. As in other countries, India faces strong competition there from China, which is using infrastructure investment to spread its influence around the globe.
On his first foreign trip abroad, Mr. Modi is expected to visit another neighbor, the Maldives. As in other countries, India faces strong competition there from China, which is using infrastructure investment to spread its influence around the globe.
But in a sign that the blowback of what was an intense election could cast a shadow over Mr. Modi’s second term, Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal, refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony in protest over what she saw as a provocative move by Mr. Modi.But in a sign that the blowback of what was an intense election could cast a shadow over Mr. Modi’s second term, Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of the Indian state of West Bengal, refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony in protest over what she saw as a provocative move by Mr. Modi.
He has invited to the ceremony family members of dozens of workers from his party, known as the B.J.P., who the party says were killed in West Bengal, indirectly pointing fingers at Ms. Banerjee’s governing party, the All-India Trinamool Congress. He invited to the ceremony family members of dozens of workers from his party, known as the B.J.P., who the party says were killed in West Bengal, indirectly pointing fingers at Ms. Banerjee’s governing party, the All-India Trinamool Congress.
West Bengal was the scene of some of the worst election violence in what was otherwise a relatively peaceful and orderly vote, with more than 600 million people casting votes across the country in a process that lasted six weeks. Street clashes erupted between supporters of the B.J.P. and the Trinamool Congress, but Ms. Banerjee denied that they led to the deaths of any B.J.P. supporters. West Bengal was the scene of some of the worst election violence in what was otherwise a relatively peaceful and orderly vote, with more than 600 million people casting votes across the country in a process that lasted six weeks. Street clashes erupted between supporters of the B.J.P. and the Trinamool Congress, but Ms. Banerjee denied that political violence led to the deaths of any B.J.P. supporters.
“There have been no political murders in Bengal,” Ms. Banerjee said about the B.J.P.’s claims. “So, I am sorry, Narendra Modi Ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony.”“There have been no political murders in Bengal,” Ms. Banerjee said about the B.J.P.’s claims. “So, I am sorry, Narendra Modi Ji, this has compelled me not to attend the ceremony.”
Before Mr. Modi arrived at the ceremony, much of the intrigue was focused on who the potential members of his new cabinet would be.
In the lead-up to the swearing in, Mr. Modi held marathon discussions on the formation of the new government with Amit Shah, the president of the B.J.P. and one of his main confidants. But the list of ministers was kept under tight wrap until the ceremony itself: What gave it away was the seating arrangement of those who arrived, as new cabinet ministers made their way to the stage.
Notably missing from the new government is Sushma Swaraj, who was the face of Mr. Modi’s foreign policy as external affairs minister for the past five years. When Ms. Swaraj arrived at the ceremony, it still wasn’t clear whether she would remain in office — until she greeted the dignitaries and then found a seat in the audience.
Among the important new faces were Mr. Shah, who is making a move from the B.J.P. presidency to a first-time cabinet position, and Dr. S. Jaishankar, a prominent former diplomat who served as ambassador to the United States and China, two key nations in Mr. Modi’s foreign policy.
Mr. Shah was instrumental in building the electoral machinery for the party’s victory, and has been touted as a potential successor to Mr. Modi.
He is also seen as a driving voice behind some of Mr. Modi’s hard-line messages, and drew controversy during the campaign by calling Muslim undocumented immigrants “termites,” and by giving a parliamentary ticket to a Hindu nationalist, out on bail on terrorism charges, so that she could run for office.
Before taking his oath of office, Mr. Modi arrived on stage and bowed to the audience who applauded and cheered.
In emerging triumphant, Mr. Modi overcame questions about his government’s mixed economic record during his first five years, when farmers struggled and unemployment rose. His party made the campaign about national security, casting Mr. Modi as the strong leader needed to defend India, and even more openly pushed a Hindu-nationalist agenda.In emerging triumphant, Mr. Modi overcame questions about his government’s mixed economic record during his first five years, when farmers struggled and unemployment rose. His party made the campaign about national security, casting Mr. Modi as the strong leader needed to defend India, and even more openly pushed a Hindu-nationalist agenda.
The first months of Mr. Modi’s new term will be closely watched for how he tries to balance the confidence of his largely Hindu base, some of whom want to further nudge secular India into a more Hindu state, with the fears of India’s minority groups.The first months of Mr. Modi’s new term will be closely watched for how he tries to balance the confidence of his largely Hindu base, some of whom want to further nudge secular India into a more Hindu state, with the fears of India’s minority groups.
In one of his first speeches after victory, Mr. Modi reached out to minority groups by asking his government to win “the trust of all.” He said minority groups lived in an “imagined fear” stoked by other parties trying to retain their votes. But several recent reports of violence targeting Muslims show the fear remains real. In one of his first speeches after his victory, Mr. Modi reached out to minority groups by asking his government to win “the trust of all.” He said minority groups lived in an “imagined fear” stoked by other parties trying to retain their votes. But several recent reports of violence targeting Muslims show the fear remains real.
Mr. Modi took huge risks in turning an election for local members of Parliament into a test of his own popularity, crisscrossing the country in what often appeared more like a presidential race and telling voters that “your every vote will go into Modi’s account.” Now that he has emerged as the country’s most dominant leader in decades, the direction India takes will largely be shaped by which issues Mr. Modi champions.Mr. Modi took huge risks in turning an election for local members of Parliament into a test of his own popularity, crisscrossing the country in what often appeared more like a presidential race and telling voters that “your every vote will go into Modi’s account.” Now that he has emerged as the country’s most dominant leader in decades, the direction India takes will largely be shaped by which issues Mr. Modi champions.
Mr. Modi’s resounding victory has left the opposition in tatters. The Indian National Congress, the country’s traditional political powerhouse, failed to secure even the minimum 10 percent of parliamentary seats required to lead the opposition.Mr. Modi’s resounding victory has left the opposition in tatters. The Indian National Congress, the country’s traditional political powerhouse, failed to secure even the minimum 10 percent of parliamentary seats required to lead the opposition.
Over the past week, the Congress party’s demoralization has been on display in a drawn-out drama around its leader, Rahul Gandhi. Immediately after the loss, Mr. Gandhi offered to resign. But party supporters and leaders have repeatedly gathered outside his home trying to persuade him against it, shouting, “Rahul, don’t quit!”Over the past week, the Congress party’s demoralization has been on display in a drawn-out drama around its leader, Rahul Gandhi. Immediately after the loss, Mr. Gandhi offered to resign. But party supporters and leaders have repeatedly gathered outside his home trying to persuade him against it, shouting, “Rahul, don’t quit!”