Marathon PM Narendra Modi-Amit Shah meeting sets stage for govt formation

Sources have reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a marathon meeting lasting around five hours Tuesday at his residence with BJP president Amit Shah.

Speculation over Shah’s entry in the Cabinet has been intense since the BJP won the Lok Sabha elections with a massive mandate.

Special attention is being paid to the participation of NDA partners — Shiv Sena, JDU, LJP, Akali Dal and AIADMK — who were given pride of place on the dais during the NDA Parliamentary Party meeting.

According to sources, both the leaders are believed to have discussed the shape of the government, which will be sworn in on Thursday, May 30 and the formation of the new council of ministers.

Sources also indicate that key members from the previous Cabinet such as Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal and Narendra Singh Tomar are expected to be retained in the new government.

The swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Modi will take place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. BIMSTEC leaders have been invited. Sources have also said that around 65 leaders may take oath of office and secrecy along with Prime Minister Modi.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the participation of Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Kyrgyz Republic President Sooronbay Jeenbekov, Myanmar President U Win Myint, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering and Thailand’s Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Grisada Boonrach as a special envoy.