NEW DELHI : Janata Dal (Secular) patron and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Sunday congratulated Narendra Modi for securing a third term as Prime Minister after the BJP led National Democratic Alliance won the 2024 general elections and termed it as a historic occasion. He also apologized for being unable to attend the oath ceremony due to “frail health.”
Taking to the social media platform X, Gowda said, “I have written to Shri Narendra Modi on the historic occasion of being sworn in for the 3rd straight term this evening. My frail health does not permit me to be present in person, but I will watch the ceremony on TV. Indian democracy is robust, whatever the Congress may say.”
In a heartfelt congratulatory letter to the Prime Minister-designate, 91-year-old leader said, “It is a truly historic occasion. As I have said many times in the past, this is the result of his almighty’s extraordinary blessing on you. I have no doubt that you will continue to be showered with the Lord’s blessing and will continue to serve our great nation with the absolute dedication that we have all become familiar with for a decade.”
He further said in the letter that the elections have thrown up interesting results that prove the vibrancy of Indian democracy and that Narendra Modi is a true democrat.
Taking a dig at the opposition, the former Prime Minister said, “The Congress party assumes they have done better this time, but the fact is that in states they themselves run, like Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh, they have floundered. They have done relatively well in some other states because of the courtesy of their allies. Let us see how long their allies will tolerate them.”
The Janata Dal (Secular) further said, “I again reiterate the full support of my party, Janata Dal (Secular), to the National Democratic Alliance government. As a member of the NDA, we look forward to working with you and helping you deliver your agenda of “Sab Ka Sath Sabka Vikas’ (development for all),” he said.
PM Modi will assume office as prime minister for a third consecutive term as the BJP-led NDA secured 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. In the 543-strong lower house of the Indian parliament, 272 is the minimum majority figure.
PM Modi is the second Indian leader to win a third term after founding prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
Alongside Narendra Modi, members of his council of ministers will also take their oaths this evening.
Several leaders and state heads of the neighbourhood region and Indian Ocean region have been invited to PM Modi’s swearing-in ceremony as distinguished guests, as a testament to India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in an official statement on Saturday, said, “President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe; President of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu; Vice-President of the Seychelles, Ahmed Afif; Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina; Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth; Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’; and Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay, have accepted the invitation to attend.”
Meanwhile, highlighting the significance of the event, the MEA emphasised, “The visit of the leaders to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his third consecutive term is in keeping with the highest priority accorded by India to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and ‘SAGAR’ vision.”
Additionally, the MEA mentioned that besides participating in the swearing-in ceremony, the leaders will also grace a banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan later in the same evening. (ANI)