Mega preparations are on for the second time swearing in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.
A galaxy of international leaders and nation heads of BIMSTEC nations, political who’s who and regional satraps including the likes of Mamata Banerjee are expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony.
“Since it is a ceremonial program, we thought of attending it. Yes, I will go,” remarked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Tuesday putting all speculation to rest on whether she will attend the ceremony after the bitterness of electoral fray.
In 2014, Ms Banerjee did not attend Mr Modi’s swearing-in ceremony triggering a minor row and hints of bitterness in relations.
On Monday, Mr Modi invited government and nation heads of the BIMSTEC member states for his swearing-in on May 30.
President of Bangladesh Md Abdul Hamid, his Sri Lankan counterpart Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Ministers of Mauritius and Nepal Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and KP Sharma Oli respectively will attend Mr Modi’s oath-taking ceremony as Prime Minister.
According to an MEA spokesman, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, President of the Kyrgyz Republic,
U Win Myint, President of Myanmar, Dr Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister of Bhutan; and Grisada
Boonrach, Special Envoy of Thailand have also confirmed their participation during the special
occasion.
Sooronbay Jeenbekov is the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
BJP chief Amit Shah held a three-hour long meeting with Prime Minister on Tuesday evening ostensibly to discuss cabinet formation.
BJP on its own has 303 members and with its allies, the NDA tally is 353.
Various political equations, including the ensuing polls in Maharashtra and Haryana and adjustments with the alliance partners, would figure prominently in Prime Minister’s mind for selecting his council of ministers.
The BJP and the NDA allies have won 62 seats out of 80 in Uttar Pradesh, 39 in Bihar, 41 in Maharashtra and all 10 seats in Haryana and 24 seats in Rajasthan.
Speculation is rife on whether Mr Shah will make it to the cabinet or whether likes of Sushma Swaraj, who did not contest election, will continue as the Union Minister.
Allies like Shiv Sena, LJP and JD(U) are eyeing greater role in the NDA regime and may get important portfolios.
JD(U) Nitish Kumar did not find berth in the cabinet under Modi even as the outfit returned to the saffron alliance in 2017.
It is also not clear whether Ram Vilas Paswan of LJP will make it to the cabinet as he did not contest Lok Sabha polls and will have to be accommodated in the Upper House.
BJP observers are also keeping fingers crossed on whether Smriti Irani, who defeated Congress president Rahul Gandhi in his family bastion Amethi, will be given a more important portfolio.
The BJP’s unprecedented success in West Bengal has generated hopes in the state unit that some key portfolios could come in the kitty of state leaders.
West Bengal state unit chief Dilip Ghosh, who also won the Lok Sabha poll, may however stay away from the government and focus on party organisation, especially in view of 2021 Assembly elections, sources said.
(UNI)
