Modi sworn in amid challenges for consensus building

Consensus building at home and abroad will be important for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, analysts say.

Modi took the oath of office on Sunday for a history-making third consecutive term at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of India's president, in New Delhi, where 71 ministers also took oath.

"Honored to serve Bharat," Modi posted on X before he was sworn in. Bharat is a word dating back to ancient Hindu scriptures written in Sanskrit, and one of two official names for the country under its constitution.

"To run the government, a majority is necessary. But to run the nation, a consensus is necessary," Modi told his coalition party on Friday. "The people want us to deliver better than before."

Indeed, an important question now is whether Modi can turn into a consensus builder, something that he is not associated with during his more than 24 years in public office, analysts said.

Modi has always led governments with a majority. He had governed the western state of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 with an absolute majority as well.

"Modi as we know is not used to consensus building. He may face challenges in keeping together his allies," Tanvir Aeijaz, a professor of Ramjas College at the University of Delhi, said. Modi's projection of Hindutva, or Hindu nationalism, sentiment will take a back seat this time, meaning he may frustrate his core supporters, Aeijaz said.

One of the biggest challenges Modi will face is the constant demand of accountability from a visibly strong opposition, Aeijaz said.

Modi has become the only leader after former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru to be elected for a third consecutive term.

Fragile coalition

Modi's third term holds significance because it is the first where he is depending on a fragile coalition with allies, some of whom are known to frequently shift allegiance.

The Bharatiya Janata Party won only 240 seats, fewer than the 272 majority to form a government. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance scored 293 seats, 61 more than the opposition INDIA alliance headed by the main opposition Congress party.

A third term in office is also a time when leaders become far more conscious about their legacies and how they will be remembered, said Swaran Singh, a professor of international relations at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

The line of lawmakers also taking the oath of office was keenly watched, Agence France-Presse commented. Indian media reported widely that the top jobs, including the four most powerful posts, would remain in the BJP's grip.

Also taking oath on Sunday were 30 cabinet ministers, 36 ministers of state and five with independent charge. Rewarding the BJP's coalition partners, Modi has inducted 11 members of parliament from the NDA.

It has also accommodated leaders of ally partners, such as the Telugu Desam Party and Janata Dal (United), among others from the coalition partners to form the government.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.