Janata Dal (United) leader Rajiv Ranjan, also known as Lallan Singh, was sworn in as a Union Minister on Sunday as Narendra Modi took office as Prime Minister for the third time, along with his cabinet and council of ministers.
#WATCH | JDU leader Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh takes oath as a Union Cabinet Minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government pic.twitter.com/yjIQaY5Mdr
— ANI (@ANI) June 9, 2024
Aged 69, Singh secured victory in the Lok Sabha elections from the Munger constituency.
Having served as the former JD(U) national president and being a four-time MP, Lallan Singh has remained one of the closest associates of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
After the Lok Sabha election results, Singh reiterated the united support of the constituent parties for Modi’s third term as Prime Minister.
Before Sunday’s oath ceremony, Rajiv Ranjan emphasized that his party had not put forward any specific demands for ministerial positions. “We have not made any requests regarding particular ministries. It is the Prime Minister’s prerogative to appoint individuals to specific ministries,” he told ANI.
JD(U) secured 12 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, contesting in alliance with BJP, LJP, and HAM.
Narendra Modi was sworn in as Prime Minister of India for his third consecutive term on Sunday, in a grand ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan attended by leaders from neighboring countries and the Indian Ocean region.
President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office to Narendra Modi, followed by other members of his ministerial team.
PM Modi was attired in a full-sleeved white kurta with churidar and a blue half-jacket.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA secured 293 seats in the Lok Sabha elections, with BJP winning 240 seats independently. In the 543-member lower house of the Indian parliament, 272 is the minimum majority threshold.