Modi sworn in as Indian PM

The News, Tuesday, May 27, 2014

From Print Edition





Millions of Indians watched the inauguration live on television as the 63-year-old Hindu nationalist
leader, once thought of as too divisive to lead the worlds largest democracy, took his oath along with
his 44 cabinet members in the palaces forecourt.

The low-caste son of a tea stall-owner, Modi has given India its first parliamentary majority after 25
years of coalition governments, which means he has ample room to advance reforms that started over
two decades ago but have stalled in recent years.

Modi plans to slash 26 government positions under a cabinet revamp in a bid to allow more nimble
decision-making, reports said. Modis government will number 45 including him, down from 71 in
outgoing prime minister Manmohan Singhs scandal-tainted Congress-led coalition administration, the
Press Trust of India news agency and NDTV channel reported.

Team Modi will have 23 full-rank cabinet ministers, down from Singhs 28, while the number of
junior ministers known as ministers of state will be reduced to 22 from 43 in Singhs government, the
reports said.

Modi, who had promised a downsized government, was keeping the list of cabinet appointments a
secret right up to the last-minute with local media speculating about his choices.The BJPs most
senior woman leader Sushma Swaraj was widely tipped to be foreign minister, while long-time Modi
ally Arun Jaitley, a lawyer, was seen as frontrunner for the vital finance portfolio. The pick for Defence
Ministry remains uncertain, with Modi himself said to be planning to retain the portfolio earlier in the
day but other reports contradicted this.

BJP president Rajnath Singh was predicted to become home minister, while founding BJP member LK
Advani and fellow elderly stalwart Murli Manohar Joshi looked set for disappointment.

Smriti Irani, an actress famed for her role in a TV soap opera, confirmed she was getting a ministerial
berth in a cabinet which she said would feature women prominently. Modi has given opportunities to
many women who come from many humble backgrounds, Irani, linked to the human resources
minister portfolio, told NDTV. Early Monday, Modi confirmed reports he planned to slash the size of the
cabinet in keeping with his campaign promises of less government, more governance. Some
government departments would be transformed into Organic Ministries for quicker pace of work and
better coordination between departments, he tweeted.

This is a step towards Smart Governance and will give us added strength to fulfill the aspirations of
the people, Modi added. It was for the first time that a leader from Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif attended the swearing-in of an Indian leader since its independence in 1947.

The ceremony was attended by leaders of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC),
including Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, Nepals Prime
Minister Sushil Koirala, Nepal Tshering Tobgay, Sushil Koirala and Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen
Abdul Gayoom. Speaker Shirin Chaudhury represented Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will hold bilateral talks with Modi on Tuesday (today) in a bid to improve
ties. He will also be meeting Indian President Pranab Mukherjee before leaving for Pakistan later in the
afternoon.