Bangladesh & Nepal PM Confirm Attendance At Modi's Oath-taking Ceremony

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal have confirmed they will be attending Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony, sources confirmed on Thursday.

Both Hasina and her Nepal counterpart Dahal had previously extended their greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the performance of the NDA at the 18th Lok Sabha elections.

PM Modi had spoken over the phone with Dahal also known as Prachanda. "An invitation was extended to Nepal PM by PM Modi during Wednesday's phone conversation," an official said today.

"During Wednesday evening's telephonic conversation between two leaders, the invitation was extended to Nepal PM for attendance in the swearing-in ceremony. Nepal's Prime Minister also confirmed the attendance. Formal announcement will be made soon," the senior official told ANI.

M Nazrul Islam, the speechwriter for the Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina told ANI, "Prime Minister Hasina is departing tomorrow from Dhaka to Delhi to participate in the oath-taking ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after receiving an invitation from him."

Sheikh Hasina will leave Dhaka on a special flight scheduled for the afternoon and will remain here in the national capital until the afternoon of 9 June.

Asked about the possibility of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ceremony, Islam said "While such a meeting has not been confirmed yet, the delegations accompanying the leaders will be very small."

Sheikh Hasina recently secured victory in the national elections in Bangladesh, following which she emphasised the strong relationship between Bangladesh and India, stating, "India is our tested and loyal neighbour, and we have a good relationship between India and Bangladesh."

The visit underscores the ongoing diplomatic relations and cooperation between the two neighbouring countries, highlighting the mutual respect and collaboration that have been hallmarks of the partnership.

PM Modi is likely to take oath on 8 June after the BJP-led NDA narrowly surpassed the majority mark, winning 293 seats in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, while the opposition INDIA bloc secured 234 seats.

The counting of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was held on Tuesday. According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP won 240 seats, much lower than its 2019 tally of 303. The main opposition Congress, on the other hand, registered a strong growth, winning 99 seats against 52 in 2019. (ANI)