Manmohan Singh was sworn in on Friday for a second term as India’s prime minister in a ceremony at the presidential palace in New Delhi.
The 76-year-old Singh read out his oath of office before Indian president Pratibha Patil. He was followed by 19 members of his new cabinet.
Singh is the first prime minister since the country’s post-independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to be returned to office after completing a full term.
Congress had campaigned hard on a poverty-alleviation platform for India’s rural millions, and voters also responded to the image of Singh as a steady, pragmatic leader capable of steering the country through an economic downturn.
His coalition won 262 seats in the 543-member national parliament, just 10 short of the 272 needed for a working majority.
The alliance quickly garnered pledges of support from independents and others to take its voting strength to 322. — AFP
