Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi, ahead of his swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, interacted with Members of Parliament who are likely to be inducted into his Cabinet and Council of Ministers.
Ahead of tonight’s grand ceremony, the prime minister-designate hosted the traditional high tea at his house at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in the national capital.
A video of the interaction at the Prime Minister’s residence this afternoon showed Modi briefing the incoming ministers, setting the tone for the government’s agenda and priorities going forward.
After attending the tea party, BJP MP-elect Manohar Lal Khattar said: “It is a ritual of Narendra Modi to call people to his residence for a tea party. He only calls those whom he wants to induct into his cabinet”. There were some formalities to go through, which I have already completed. He asked me to stay in Delhi for the next 24 hours, apart from me, Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar were also present in the meeting.
Republican Party of India Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athawale said he will be among the new ministers to be inducted later tonight.
According to ANI reports, “Today, Narendra Modi will take oath as Prime Minister for the third time. It is a matter of pride for the entire country. The swearing-in ceremony will be held today and the portfolios will be decided. Tomorrow I will be happy with any portfolio fuck me… Around 60 NDA leaders were present at the tea meeting today…”
BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who was present at the meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence, said, “…The Prime Minister has given me an opportunity to serve the country by including me in his team for the third consecutive time. “We will work as a team under the leadership of the Prime Minister and deliver on all promises and live up to the expectations and aspirations of the country.”
Two-time Rajya Sabha MP Ramnath Kumar of the Janata Dal (USA) Ramnath Thakur, son of former Bihar Chief Minister and Bharat Ratna awardee late Karpuri Thakur, said he was grateful to have been included in the Cabinet, as reported by ANI.
“On behalf of my family, my party, I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar…I express my gratitude to them for including a small person like me in the Union Cabinet. He (Prime Minister Modi in the meeting) said that we will work on the path of development with dedication towards the people of the country…,” Thakur said.
“I want to thank Prime Minister Modi for showing confidence in me,” said Giriraj Singh, who defeated Begusari in Bihar in the general elections and was one of the guests at today’s tea party. “There was a discussion that we have to transform India into a ‘Viksit Bharat’. It is not about any particular portfolio. Every department is important…” he added.
“I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work with the Prime Minister,” said Ajay Tamta, a BJP politician from Uttarakhand, who was feted at the Prime Minister’s house. He further added, “For this, I thank the BJP, all the voters of my constituency and the Prime Minister… Whatever job I get, I will contribute in carrying it forward with all my might…”
BJP leaders Piyush Goyal, Manohar Lal Khattar, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Dharmendra Pradhan and Mandaviya were seen at the meeting and are expected to be part of the incoming government, according to ANI reports.
BJP politician and three-time former Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu was seen attending the meeting of prospective ministers who are expected to join the Modi 3.0 cabinet, despite losing the Ludhiana seat in the Lok Sabha elections of 2024.
LJP chief (Ram Vilas) Chirag Paswan, Rajnath Singh, Kiren Rijiju and Jyotiraditya Scindia were among others who arrived at the tea meeting.
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by a staggering margin of 8.20 lakh votes from Vidisha constituency, said, “It is good fortune for the country that Modiji take oath for the third time. The resolution of a developed India will be fulfilled… the country will become a world leader…”
When Shivraj Singh Chouhan was asked about getting a ministerial post, he said, “I have no information as of now…”
Prime Minister Modi will reportedly take oath of office today at 7.15 pm along with his council of ministers in a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. On June 5, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) unanimously passed resolutions to elect Narendra Modi as its leader.
As part of the preparations for the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi on Sunday, around 1,100 traffic police officers of the Delhi Police have been deployed and an advisory has been issued to the public regarding the route of the movement of the transit.