New Delhi: Following the victory in Lok Sabha elections 2019, PM-elect Narendra Modi is all set to take oath as Prime Minister of India for the second consecutive term at 7 pm at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.
President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the Prime Minister and other members of the Union Council at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi in front of a large gathering of national and international dignitaries.
As per reports, a record number of 8,000 guests are likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony today evening.
Earlier, in the 2014 swearing-in-ceremony, approximately 5,000 people attended the programme.
The guest list includes heads of several neighbouring countries, chief ministers of most of the states and a few famous personalities of the entertainment world.
The families of BJP worker who allegedly lost their lives in political violence in West Bengal in the last one year have also been invited in the programme today evening.
Here is a list of guests who will attend PM Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony in New Delhi on Thursday.
Foreign Guests
Leaders of all BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) countries have confirmed their participation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Member countries of BIMSTEC include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand besides India.
MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said President of Bangladesh Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli will attend the oath-taking ceremony.
Apart from BIMSTEC, the government has also extended an invitation to Mauritius and Kyrgyzstan. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov also confirmed their participation at the event, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed.
PM Narendra Modi is likely to hold bilateral meetings with most of the international leaders tomorrow.
IMF Managing Director and Chairman Christine Lagarde were also being invited, sources said.
Indian leaders
The chief ministers of all states have been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. However, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Singh Bhaghel have expressed inability to attend the event.
Mamata Banerjee rejected the invite to protest accusations of political murders in West Bengal. Her party, TMC, has denied allegations of poll violence and any political murders in the state.
Odisha CM, who took oath earlier on Wednesday, denied the invitation but sent warm wishes.
Bhupesh Singh Bhaghel cited prior engagements as reason of his inability to be present at the event.
All other CMs, including newly-elected Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, JD(S) leader and Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, are expected to be attend the swearing-in ceremony.
From the Opposition, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi have confirmed their attendance for the event so far.
Celebrities
Business: Industrialists such as Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani and Ratan Tata have also been invited for the event, sources said. Besides Ambani, Adani and Tata, business honchos Ajay Piramal, John Chambers and Bill Gates have also been extended invitation for Modi's swearing-in.
Sports: Former sprinter P T Usha, cricketers Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Harbhajan Singh, badminton ace Saina Nehwal, badminton coach Pulella Gopichand and gymnast Dipa Karmakar are among the sports personalities invited to the ceremony, they said.
Films: Superstar Rajnikanth and Kamal Haasan are expected to attend PM Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Several Bollywood stars, including Kangana Ranaut, Shah Rukh Khan, Sanjay Bhansali and Karan Johar have also been invited.
However, there was no confirmation on the invitees who have confirmed their presence.
Families of deceased BJP workers
The family members of 50 BJP workers, who the party claims were killed in political violence in West Bengal in the last one year, have also been invited to the swearing-in ceremony.