The 'Little Mufflerman', the young boy who took social media by storm as the mini version of Arvind Kejriwal, was the centre of attraction at the AAP chief's swearing-in as Delhi Chief Minister on Sunday.

The 'Little Mufflerman', the young boy who took social media by storm as the mini version of Arvind Kejriwal, was the centre of attraction at the AAP chief's swearing-in as Delhi Chief Minister on Sunday. Many people, including party lawmaker Bhagwant Mann, were seen shaking hands with the boy and taking pictures with him as Kejriwal took oath as the national capital's chief minister for the third time. The young boy was officially invited by AAP to take part in the oath-taking ceremony. The 'Little Mufflerman' had taken Twitter by storm on counting day as the AAP emerged victorious in the Delhi Assembly elections. Also Read: 'Suit up': AAP invites baby 'mufflerman' to Kejriwal's swearing-in ceremony AAP's Twitter handle had shared the image of the young boy dressed up as Chief Minister Kejriwal, with a cap bearing the party's symbol, a v-neck maroon sweater and of course a muffler wrapped around his head. The boy also wore spectacles similar to the AAP chief's and even sported a fake moustache as he pointed towards the sky. Kejriwal had earned the moniker of 'Mufflerman' for his iconic way of dressing in the winter season. Around 50 people from different walks of life who are responsible for 'Delhi Nirman' shared the stage with Kejriwal during his swearing-in ceremony. These people included teachers, bus marshalls, sanitation workers and families of firefighters. Watch: Delhi Election 2020: Kejriwal set for his third term as CM? Among the prominent invitees include-Ratan Jamshed Batliboi, the architect of the famous Signature Bridge. Dalbir Singh, a farmer. Sumit Nagal, an international Tennis Player. Sumit is a class 12th student and he has studied in a Delhi Govt School. Laxman Chaudhry, an auto driver by profession. Manu Gulati, a teacher, who contributed to making Delhi better. "They all are architects of Delhi Governance Model", AAP had said. The AAP nearly repeated its 2015 performance in the elections, sweeping the Assembly polls winning 62 seats in the 70-member Assembly, in the face of a high-voltage campaign by the BJP, which fielded a battery of Union Ministers and Chief Ministers in its electioneering spearheaded by Home Minister Amit Shah.

'Mini Mufflerman' cynosure of all eyes at Kejriwal's swearing-in ceremony

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gotabaya-rajapaksa-names-brother-mahinda-as-sri-lanka-pm-spokesperson-263441">Mahinda Rajapaksa</a> will be sworn in as the new prime minister of Sri Lanka today. His brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the new president of the island nation.

Mahinda served as the president from 2005-2015, with his ascension facilitated by the announcement of Ranil Wickremesinghe's resignation. Following this, a caretaker government was formed under the leadership of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.&nbsp;

According to Colombo Page, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lankas-prime-minister-wickremesinghe-to-resign-today-263336">Wickremesinghe</a> took the decision after a special cabinet meeting on Wednesday, a day after he met Gotabaya. The President has reportedly decided to appoint a caretaker cabinet with 15 members until the General Elections are held in March 2020 after the dissolution of the current parliament as per constitutional provisions.&nbsp;

Watch: Sri Lankan PM announces resignation

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/fineprint-sri-lanka-pm-announces-resignation-263469/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

 
Leaders of the parties that backed Gotabaya during the presidential polls will be given preference in the new cabinet. 
 
The Rajapaksa brothers are credited with crushing the Tamil Tigers a decade ago to end Sri Lanka's civil war.&nbsp; 
 
The security services under their control during the time have been accused of war crimes and multiple human rights abuses.

(With inputs from ANI)

Mahinda Rajapaksa will be sworn in as the new prime minister of Sri Lanka today. His brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the new president of the island nation. Mahinda served as the president from 2005-2015, with his ascension facilitated by the announcement of Ranil Wickremesinghe's resignation.

Mahinda Rajapaksa will be sworn in as the new prime minister of Sri Lanka today. His brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa is the new president of the island nation. Mahinda served as the president from 2005-2015, with his ascension facilitated by the announcement of Ranil Wickremesinghe's resignation. Following this, a caretaker government was formed under the leadership of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. According to Colombo Page, Wickremesinghe took the decision after a special cabinet meeting on Wednesday, a day after he met Gotabaya. The President has reportedly decided to appoint a caretaker cabinet with 15 members until the General Elections are held in March 2020 after the dissolution of the current parliament as per constitutional provisions. Watch: Sri Lankan PM announces resignation Leaders of the parties that backed Gotabaya during the presidential polls will be given preference in the new cabinet. The Rajapaksa brothers are credited with crushing the Tamil Tigers a decade ago to end Sri Lanka's civil war. The security services under their control during the time have been accused of war crimes and multiple human rights abuses. (With inputs from ANI)

Mahinda Rajapaksa to be sworn-in as Sri Lankan Prime Minister today

Nirmala Sitharaman was the first woman to be appointed full-time Defence Minister of India in September 2017 -- and since then she has been assiduously trying to adopt a holistic approach in addressing the country's security challenges.

59-year-old Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member, is the second woman to take charge of the crucial ministry after Indira Gandhi who as the Prime Minister also held the portfolio in the seventies.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/live-updates-prime-minister-narendra-modi-swearing-in-ceremony-222770">Live: Narendra Modi takes oath as PM again along with the council of ministers</a>

One of BJP's chief spokespersons before its ascent to power, Sitharaman is an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University and London School of Economics.&nbsp;

As the Defence Minister, Sitharaman attempted to strengthen the Army, Navy and the Air Force and was credited for expediting the decision making process relating to defence procurement. She constituted a Defence Planning Committee to formulate an "action plan" to effectively deal with various security challenges facing the nation.

However, her biggest moment came when India carried out air strikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot, seen as major policy shift in the country's efforts to deal with cross border terrorism.

She took on the opposition head on with her fiery defence of the Rafale fighter jet deal in Parliament.

She has also focused on boosting domestic defence production besides taking steps to implement the ambitious "strategic partnership" model with several countries like the United States and Russia.

Under the new model, select Indian private firms will be roped in to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign defence majors.

Sitharaman was born on August 18, 1959 in the temple town of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. She did her schooling and her graduation in Economics, from Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy College in Tiruchirapalli.&nbsp;

She went on to do her Masters in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.&nbsp;

Sitharaman served as an assistant to Economist in the Agricultural Engineers Association, UK in London. She subsequently worked as Senior Manager (Research and Analysis) with Price Waterhouse, London. During this time she also briefly worked with BBC World Service.

On her return to India, she served as Deputy Director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies at Hyderabad.&nbsp;

Sitharaman joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2008, and was made a member of the National Executive. She was nominated as party spokesperson in March 2010 and has been a full time party worker since then.

She was inducted in the Union Cabinet on May 26, 2014 as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Industry.&nbsp;

Nirmala Sitharaman was the first woman to be appointed full-time Defence Minister of India in September 2017 -- and since then she has been assiduously trying to adopt a holistic approach in addressing the country's security challenges.

Nirmala Sitharaman was the first woman to be appointed full-time Defence Minister of India in September 2017 -- and since then she has been assiduously trying to adopt a holistic approach in addressing the country's security challenges. 59-year-old Sitharaman, a Rajya Sabha member, is the second woman to take charge of the crucial ministry after Indira Gandhi who as the Prime Minister also held the portfolio in the seventies. Live: Narendra Modi takes oath as PM again along with the council of ministers One of BJP's chief spokespersons before its ascent to power, Sitharaman is an alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University and London School of Economics. As the Defence Minister, Sitharaman attempted to strengthen the Army, Navy and the Air Force and was credited for expediting the decision making process relating to defence procurement. She constituted a Defence Planning Committee to formulate an "action plan" to effectively deal with various security challenges facing the nation. However, her biggest moment came when India carried out air strikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot, seen as major policy shift in the country's efforts to deal with cross border terrorism. She took on the opposition head on with her fiery defence of the Rafale fighter jet deal in Parliament. She has also focused on boosting domestic defence production besides taking steps to implement the ambitious "strategic partnership" model with several countries like the United States and Russia. Under the new model, select Indian private firms will be roped in to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign defence majors. Sitharaman was born on August 18, 1959 in the temple town of Madurai, Tamil Nadu. She did her schooling and her graduation in Economics, from Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy College in Tiruchirapalli. She went on to do her Masters in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Sitharaman served as an assistant to Economist in the Agricultural Engineers Association, UK in London. She subsequently worked as Senior Manager (Research and Analysis) with Price Waterhouse, London. During this time she also briefly worked with BBC World Service. On her return to India, she served as Deputy Director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies at Hyderabad. Sitharaman joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2008, and was made a member of the National Executive. She was nominated as party spokesperson in March 2010 and has been a full time party worker since then. She was inducted in the Union Cabinet on May 26, 2014 as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Commerce and Industry.

Nirmala Sitharaman: The first full time woman defence minister retained as Union Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted 20 new faces in his council of ministers and dropped some of the most visible faces of his team — finance minister Arun Jaitley, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and commerce minister Suresh Prabhu.

While Jaitley's absence had become public on Wednesday as he opted out on health grounds, the absence of Sushma and Prabhu came as a surprise

A bigger surprise, however, was the inclusion of former foreign secretary S. Jaishankar into the cabinet.

Besides 25 Cabinet ministers including Modi, Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Piyush Goyal and Jaishankar, nine were sworn in as Minister of State with Independent charge and another 24 as Minister of State.

Here is the complete list of&nbsp;ministers:&nbsp;

New Union cabinet ministers 
 
1. Rajnath Singh 
2. Amit Shah 
3. Nitin Gadkari 
4. DV Sadananda Gowda 
5. Nirmala Sitharaman 
6. Ram Vilas Paswan 
7. Narendra Singh Tomar 
8. Ravi Shankar Prasad 
9. Harsimrat Kaur Badal 
10. Thawarchand Gehlot 
11. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar 
12. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank 
13. Arjun Munda 
14. Smriti Irani 
15. Dr Harsh Vardhan 
16. Prakash Javdekar 
17. Piyush Goyal 
18. Dharmendra Pradhan 
19. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi 
20. Prahlad Joshi 
21. Mahendra Nath Pandey 
22. Arvind Sawant 
23. Giriraj Singh 
24. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat&nbsp;

 
Ministers of State (Independent Charge)

1. Santosh Kumar Gangwar 
2. Rao Inderjit Singh 
3. Shripad Yesso Naik 
4. Dr Jitendra Singh 
5. RK singh 
6. Kiren Rijiju 
7. Prahlad Singh Patel 
8. Hardeep Singh Puri 
9. Mansukh Mandaviya&nbsp;

Ministers of State

1. Faggan Singh Kulaste 
2. Ashwini Kumar Choubey 
3. Arjun Ram Meghwal 
4. General (Retd) V.K. Singh 
5. Krishan Pal 
6. Danve Raosaheb Dadarao 
7. G. Kishan Reddy 
8. Parshottam Rupala 
9. Ramdas Athawale 
10. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti 
11. Babul Supriyo 
12. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan 
13. Dhotre Sanjay Shamrao 
14. Anurag Singh Thakur 
15. Angadi Suresh Channabasappa 
16. Nityanand Rai 
17. Rattan Lal Kataria 
18. V. Muraleedharan 
19. Renuka Singh Saruta 
20. Som Parkash 
21. Rameswar Teli 
22. Pratap Chandra Sarangi 
23. Kailash Choudhary 
24. Debasree Chaudhuri

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted 20 new faces in his council of ministers and dropped some of the most visible faces of his team — finance minister Arun Jaitley, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and commerce minister Suresh Prabhu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted 20 new faces in his council of ministers and dropped some of the most visible faces of his team — finance minister Arun Jaitley, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and commerce minister Suresh Prabhu. While Jaitley's absence had become public on Wednesday as he opted out on health grounds, the absence of Sushma and Prabhu came as a surprise A bigger surprise, however, was the inclusion of former foreign secretary S. Jaishankar into the cabinet. Besides 25 Cabinet ministers including Modi, Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Nitin Gadkari, Smriti Irani, Piyush Goyal and Jaishankar, nine were sworn in as Minister of State with Independent charge and another 24 as Minister of State. Here is the complete list of ministers: New Union cabinet ministers 1. Rajnath Singh 2. Amit Shah 3. Nitin Gadkari 4. DV Sadananda Gowda 5. Nirmala Sitharaman 6. Ram Vilas Paswan 7. Narendra Singh Tomar 8. Ravi Shankar Prasad 9. Harsimrat Kaur Badal 10. Thawarchand Gehlot 11. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar 12. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank 13. Arjun Munda 14. Smriti Irani 15. Dr Harsh Vardhan 16. Prakash Javdekar 17. Piyush Goyal 18. Dharmendra Pradhan 19. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi 20. Prahlad Joshi 21. Mahendra Nath Pandey 22. Arvind Sawant 23. Giriraj Singh 24. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Ministers of State (Independent Charge) 1. Santosh Kumar Gangwar 2. Rao Inderjit Singh 3. Shripad Yesso Naik 4. Dr Jitendra Singh 5. RK singh 6. Kiren Rijiju 7. Prahlad Singh Patel 8. Hardeep Singh Puri 9. Mansukh Mandaviya Ministers of State 1. Faggan Singh Kulaste 2. Ashwini Kumar Choubey 3. Arjun Ram Meghwal 4. General (Retd) V.K. Singh 5. Krishan Pal 6. Danve Raosaheb Dadarao 7. G. Kishan Reddy 8. Parshottam Rupala 9. Ramdas Athawale 10. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti 11. Babul Supriyo 12. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan 13. Dhotre Sanjay Shamrao 14. Anurag Singh Thakur 15. Angadi Suresh Channabasappa 16. Nityanand Rai 17. Rattan Lal Kataria 18. V. Muraleedharan 19. Renuka Singh Saruta 20. Som Parkash 21. Rameswar Teli 22. Pratap Chandra Sarangi 23. Kailash Choudhary 24. Debasree Chaudhuri

57 ministers sworn in as PM Modi begins second term; complete list

Sushma Swaraj may not be part of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">Modi government this time</a>, but she leaves a legacy of an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister who helped the diaspora in distress by her revolutionary social media outreach.

From being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government to becoming the first woman Delhi chief minister, Swaraj has been a politician with many firsts.

Some of the key ministers in the previous Modi government, including Swaraj, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Maneka Gandhi were not part of the new dispensation.

Swaraj had opted out of fighting the Lok Sabha elections due to health reasons.

She was a celebrated minister in the previous cabinet after she earned the reputation of being an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister.

Her interaction with the diaspora on social media, established her as someone who can be reached in distress with just the click of a mouse.

Several path-breaking measures such as the passport infrastructure expansion and enhanced engagement with the East were the highlight of her tenure.

Swaraj, 66, became the External Affairs Minister in 2014 when Modi's first cabinet was sworn-in on May 26.&nbsp;

She is only the second woman to hold the portfolio after Indira Gandhi, who briefly kept External Affairs Ministry under her while being the Prime Minister.

Swaraj has many firsts to her credit such as being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government, first woman Chief Minister of Delhi and the first woman spokesperson for any national political party in the country.

During her tenure as the External Affairs Minister, Swaraj handled several strategically-sensitive issues, including Indo-Pak and Sino-India relations.

Her role in resolving the prickly Doklam standoff between the Indian and Chinese sides will be remembered.

India's joining of the SCO was also a key achievement during her tenure as External Affairs Minister.

In 1977, at 25 years of age, Swaraj became the youngest cabinet minister -- she held the education portfolio in Haryana.

Swaraj, a law graduate who practised in Supreme Court, has been elected seven times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly.

She began her political career with the ABVP in the 1970s.

Member of the Haryana Assembly from 1977 to 1982 from Ambala Cantonment, she was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in Devi Lal government.

Swaraj has previously also held the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Health and Family Welfare, and Parliamentary Affairs in the Union Cabinet.

Swaraj is married to Swaraj Kaushal, a designated senior advocate of Supreme Court of India who served as Governor of Mizoram from 1990 to 1993. Kaushal was also a Member of Parliament from 1998 to 2004.

She has been the recipient of the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award.

Sushma Swaraj may not be part of the Modi government this time, but she leaves a legacy of an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister who helped the diaspora in distress by her revolutionary social media outreach.

Sushma Swaraj may not be part of the Modi government this time, but she leaves a legacy of an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister who helped the diaspora in distress by her revolutionary social media outreach. From being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government to becoming the first woman Delhi chief minister, Swaraj has been a politician with many firsts. Some of the key ministers in the previous Modi government, including Swaraj, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Maneka Gandhi were not part of the new dispensation. Swaraj had opted out of fighting the Lok Sabha elections due to health reasons. She was a celebrated minister in the previous cabinet after she earned the reputation of being an easily-accessible External Affairs Minister. Her interaction with the diaspora on social media, established her as someone who can be reached in distress with just the click of a mouse. Several path-breaking measures such as the passport infrastructure expansion and enhanced engagement with the East were the highlight of her tenure. Swaraj, 66, became the External Affairs Minister in 2014 when Modi's first cabinet was sworn-in on May 26. She is only the second woman to hold the portfolio after Indira Gandhi, who briefly kept External Affairs Ministry under her while being the Prime Minister. Swaraj has many firsts to her credit such as being the youngest cabinet minister in the Haryana government, first woman Chief Minister of Delhi and the first woman spokesperson for any national political party in the country. During her tenure as the External Affairs Minister, Swaraj handled several strategically-sensitive issues, including Indo-Pak and Sino-India relations. Her role in resolving the prickly Doklam standoff between the Indian and Chinese sides will be remembered. India's joining of the SCO was also a key achievement during her tenure as External Affairs Minister. In 1977, at 25 years of age, Swaraj became the youngest cabinet minister -- she held the education portfolio in Haryana. Swaraj, a law graduate who practised in Supreme Court, has been elected seven times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. She began her political career with the ABVP in the 1970s. Member of the Haryana Assembly from 1977 to 1982 from Ambala Cantonment, she was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in Devi Lal government. Swaraj has previously also held the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting, Telecommunications, Health and Family Welfare, and Parliamentary Affairs in the Union Cabinet. Swaraj is married to Swaraj Kaushal, a designated senior advocate of Supreme Court of India who served as Governor of Mizoram from 1990 to 1993. Kaushal was also a Member of Parliament from 1998 to 2004. She has been the recipient of the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award.

Sushma Swaraj an EAM who reached out to diaspora in distress

With the defeat of two ministers, in the Lok Sabha elections, two fresh faces from Maharashtra -- Arvind Sawant from the Shiv Sena and Sanjay Dhotre from the BJP -- found place in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">Narendra Modi government Thursday</a>.

As in the previous government, there are seven ministers from the state this time too.

Hansraj Ahir of the BJP, who was a Minister of State (Home) in the first term of the Modi government, lost election from Chandrapur, while Anant Geete of the Shiv Sena, heavy industries minister, lost from Raigad constituency.

Both were not inducted in the new ministry.

The ministers from Maharashtra who took oath Thursday included Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal and Prakash Javadekar (all three cabinet ministers in the first term), followed by RPI (A) leader Ramdas Athawale and Arvind Sawant, the sole Sena minister.

BJP's Raosaheb Danve and Sanjay Dhotre were also inducted. Danve was a Union minister for a brief period during the first term of the Modi government before he was sent back as the state BJP chief, a post which he is still holding.

Suresh Prabhu, who handled high-profile railways, commerce and civil aviation portfolios in the first term, did not take oath Thursday.

Maharashtra sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, second- highest after Uttar Pradesh. The NDA had won 42 seats in the state in 2014. It won 41 seats this time.

V Muraleedharan, who hails from Kerala but who was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra two years ago, was also sworn in as a minister of state Thursday.&nbsp;

With the defeat of two ministers, in the Lok Sabha elections, two fresh faces from Maharashtra -- Arvind Sawant from the Shiv Sena and Sanjay Dhotre from the BJP -- found place in the Narendra Modi government Thursday.

With the defeat of two ministers, in the Lok Sabha elections, two fresh faces from Maharashtra -- Arvind Sawant from the Shiv Sena and Sanjay Dhotre from the BJP -- found place in the Narendra Modi government Thursday. As in the previous government, there are seven ministers from the state this time too. Hansraj Ahir of the BJP, who was a Minister of State (Home) in the first term of the Modi government, lost election from Chandrapur, while Anant Geete of the Shiv Sena, heavy industries minister, lost from Raigad constituency. Both were not inducted in the new ministry. The ministers from Maharashtra who took oath Thursday included Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal and Prakash Javadekar (all three cabinet ministers in the first term), followed by RPI (A) leader Ramdas Athawale and Arvind Sawant, the sole Sena minister. BJP's Raosaheb Danve and Sanjay Dhotre were also inducted. Danve was a Union minister for a brief period during the first term of the Modi government before he was sent back as the state BJP chief, a post which he is still holding. Suresh Prabhu, who handled high-profile railways, commerce and civil aviation portfolios in the first term, did not take oath Thursday. Maharashtra sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, second- highest after Uttar Pradesh. The NDA had won 42 seats in the state in 2014. It won 41 seats this time. V Muraleedharan, who hails from Kerala but who was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra two years ago, was also sworn in as a minister of state Thursday.

7 ministers from Maharashtra in new government; Arvind Sawant, Sanjay Dhotre new faces

In a balancing act, two dominant communities of Karnataka--Lingayats and Vokkaligas-- have been accommodated in the Narendra Modi-led new council of ministers.

D V Sadananda Gowda and Pralhad Joshi, who were Karnataka BJP presidents, along with Belgaum MP Suresh Angadi have found place in the new ministry.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/narendra-modi-takes-oath-as-prime-minister-for-second-time-222847">Narendra Modi takes oath as PM for second term, joined by Rajnath, Shah, others in Cabinet</a>

Induction of Joshi and Angadi is seen as a move to further consolidate the BJP's base in north Karnataka, where it is already strong.

In the recent Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had made deep inroads into the south also, which was considered the stronghold of the Congress and the JDS.

The BJP had won 25 of the 28 seats in Karnataka.

While Sadananda Gowda is a former Karnataka Chief Minister and had served as the minister in the previous Modi government, for Joshi and Angadi, both four-time MPs, it will be their first stint as ministers.

Meanwhile, Nirmala Sitharaman, who served as Defence Minister in the previous government, also was inducted into Modi's new Ministry.

She represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha.

With the induction of Gowda and Angadi, representation has been given to two dominant communities in the state- Vokkaligas and Lingayats respectively.

Joshi is a Brahmin, the community though does not form larger vote base has been loyal to BJP for long.

Sitharaman too is a Brahmin.

Region wise, prominence has been given to Mumbai Karnataka in the northern part of the state, considered as a strong bastion of the BJP, as both Joshi and Angadi hail from the region.

While Gowda originally belongs to coastal part of the state, he represents Bangalore North seat.

However, it is to be noted that though Lingayats were considered as the vote bank of BJP and Vokkaligas for JD(S) and to an extent Congress, what was seen in this Lok Sabha polls is larger consolidation of Hindu votes in favour of the BJP, including backward classes.

Also, region wise BJP that was considered to be strong in Mumbai Karnataka and coastal belt and to an extent in Hyderabad Karnataka, has made inroads distinctively into old Mysuru region this time, which was earlier said to be a battlefield reserved for the Congress and JD(S).

With the BJP winning 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, there was expectation in the Karnataka unit that members elected from the state would get more representation in the Narendra Modi ministry.

The state unit's feelings were clearly articulated by Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa a day ahead of the swearing-inof Modi as prime minister after a landslide win.

"I'm going to Delhi, I don't know what is in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mind. As 25 MPs have got elected from here, Karnataka should get more representation is the expectation of every one, 6.5 crore people of Karnataka.

I will try to convince them about this," Yeddyurappa had told reporters in response to a question.

With expectation of more representation from Karnataka, there is also feeling expecting additional ministerial berth for Lingayat community, since more number of seats were won by Lingayats- nine in all.

Also, there is no representation to the SC community for now.

D V Sadananda Gowda (Vokkaliga), G M Siddeshwara (Lingayat), along with Ananth Kumar (Brahmin) had found place in the Modi government-1 cabinet in 2014.

Later when the cabinet rejig happened, Ramesh Jigajinagi, a dalit leader, was inducted dropping Siddeshwara.

Also inducted was Ananth Kumar Hegde (Brahmin).

M Venkaiah Naidu, now Vice President of India, and Nirmala Sitharaman had also served as ministers in the previous Modi government.

All the three MPs, who were inducted into the ministry Thursday, had defeated their opponents by a huge margin.

While Gowda had defeated his opponent Congress' Krishna Byre Gowda from Bangalore North by a margin of 1,47,518 votes, Joshi won the Dharwad Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 2,05,072, defeating Congress' Vinay Kulkarni, a former minister.

Angadi too had defeated Congress' Sadhunavar in Belgaum by a margin of 3,91,304 votes.

In a balancing act, two dominant communities of Karnataka--Lingayats and Vokkaligas-- have been accommodated in the Narendra Modi-led new council of ministers. D V Sadananda Gowda and Pralhad Joshi, who were Karnataka BJP presidents, along with Belgaum MP Suresh Angadi have found place in the new ministry.

In a balancing act, two dominant communities of Karnataka--Lingayats and Vokkaligas-- have been accommodated in the Narendra Modi-led new council of ministers. D V Sadananda Gowda and Pralhad Joshi, who were Karnataka BJP presidents, along with Belgaum MP Suresh Angadi have found place in the new ministry. Also read: Narendra Modi takes oath as PM for second term, joined by Rajnath, Shah, others in Cabinet Induction of Joshi and Angadi is seen as a move to further consolidate the BJP's base in north Karnataka, where it is already strong. In the recent Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had made deep inroads into the south also, which was considered the stronghold of the Congress and the JDS. The BJP had won 25 of the 28 seats in Karnataka. While Sadananda Gowda is a former Karnataka Chief Minister and had served as the minister in the previous Modi government, for Joshi and Angadi, both four-time MPs, it will be their first stint as ministers. Meanwhile, Nirmala Sitharaman, who served as Defence Minister in the previous government, also was inducted into Modi's new Ministry. She represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha. With the induction of Gowda and Angadi, representation has been given to two dominant communities in the state- Vokkaligas and Lingayats respectively. Joshi is a Brahmin, the community though does not form larger vote base has been loyal to BJP for long. Sitharaman too is a Brahmin. Region wise, prominence has been given to Mumbai Karnataka in the northern part of the state, considered as a strong bastion of the BJP, as both Joshi and Angadi hail from the region. While Gowda originally belongs to coastal part of the state, he represents Bangalore North seat. However, it is to be noted that though Lingayats were considered as the vote bank of BJP and Vokkaligas for JD(S) and to an extent Congress, what was seen in this Lok Sabha polls is larger consolidation of Hindu votes in favour of the BJP, including backward classes. Also, region wise BJP that was considered to be strong in Mumbai Karnataka and coastal belt and to an extent in Hyderabad Karnataka, has made inroads distinctively into old Mysuru region this time, which was earlier said to be a battlefield reserved for the Congress and JD(S). With the BJP winning 25 of the total 28 seats in the state, there was expectation in the Karnataka unit that members elected from the state would get more representation in the Narendra Modi ministry. The state unit's feelings were clearly articulated by Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa a day ahead of the swearing-inof Modi as prime minister after a landslide win. "I'm going to Delhi, I don't know what is in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mind. As 25 MPs have got elected from here, Karnataka should get more representation is the expectation of every one, 6.5 crore people of Karnataka. I will try to convince them about this," Yeddyurappa had told reporters in response to a question. With expectation of more representation from Karnataka, there is also feeling expecting additional ministerial berth for Lingayat community, since more number of seats were won by Lingayats- nine in all. Also, there is no representation to the SC community for now. D V Sadananda Gowda (Vokkaliga), G M Siddeshwara (Lingayat), along with Ananth Kumar (Brahmin) had found place in the Modi government-1 cabinet in 2014. Later when the cabinet rejig happened, Ramesh Jigajinagi, a dalit leader, was inducted dropping Siddeshwara. Also inducted was Ananth Kumar Hegde (Brahmin). M Venkaiah Naidu, now Vice President of India, and Nirmala Sitharaman had also served as ministers in the previous Modi government. All the three MPs, who were inducted into the ministry Thursday, had defeated their opponents by a huge margin. While Gowda had defeated his opponent Congress' Krishna Byre Gowda from Bangalore North by a margin of 1,47,518 votes, Joshi won the Dharwad Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 2,05,072, defeating Congress' Vinay Kulkarni, a former minister. Angadi too had defeated Congress' Sadhunavar in Belgaum by a margin of 3,91,304 votes.

Two dominant communities given representation in Modi ministry

A politician with an uncanny knack for sensing which way the wind is blowing, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan has a rare distinction of serving as a minister in the cabinets of six prime ministers.

Paswan Thursday took oath as Cabinet minister.&nbsp;

The septuagenarian had started off as a member of the Bihar legislative assembly in the 1960s and shot to fame in the 1977 post-Emergency Lok Sabha polls when he won Hajipur seat by over four lakh votes, then a record margin.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/live-updates-prime-minister-narendra-modi-swearing-in-ceremony-222770">Live: Narendra Modi takes oath as PM again along with the council of ministers</a>

Another emphatic victory in 1989 earned him his first stint in the cabinet of V P Singh, who appointed him as labour minister.

Less than a decade later, he was back as railway minister in successive governments headed by H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujaral which together lasted for a couple of years.

The Janata Dal faction, with which he was associated in the 1990s, sided with the BJP-led NDA and Paswan was made the minister for communications, and later coal in the government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Later, he floated his own party with a view to exploring the possibilities as the foremost Dalit leader in Bihar after Babu Jagjivan Ram.

The Gujarat riots of 2002 saw him quit the NDA in protest and gravitate towards the Congress-led UPA, which came to power two years later. He was appointed the minister for chemicals and fertilizers and steel under Manmohan Singh.

His relations with the Congress got strained during the UPA-2 when he was denied a ministerial berth following his party's debacle in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Paswan himself was defeated at his own citadel of Hajipur.

Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls the BJP, which was looking for allies in Bihar so they could help it make up for the loss of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), welcomed him with open arms and offered him seven seats to contest. The LJP won six, including Paswan, his son Chirag and brother Ram Chandra.

As the minister for food and public distribution and consumer affairs under Narendra Modi, Paswan made his mark as a stout votary of the government whenever it came under attack on issues of social justice. He handled efficiently the pulses and sugar sector crisis besides bringing reforms in the Public Distribution System.

He did not contest the recent Lok Sabha polls. His younger brother and Bihar minister Pashupati Kumar Paras won from Hajipur. Paswan is now set to enter the Rajya Sabha, most likely from Bihar.&nbsp;

A politician with an uncanny knack for sensing which way the wind is blowing, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan has a rare distinction of serving as a minister in the cabinets of six prime ministers.

A politician with an uncanny knack for sensing which way the wind is blowing, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan has a rare distinction of serving as a minister in the cabinets of six prime ministers. Paswan Thursday took oath as Cabinet minister. The septuagenarian had started off as a member of the Bihar legislative assembly in the 1960s and shot to fame in the 1977 post-Emergency Lok Sabha polls when he won Hajipur seat by over four lakh votes, then a record margin. Live: Narendra Modi takes oath as PM again along with the council of ministers Another emphatic victory in 1989 earned him his first stint in the cabinet of V P Singh, who appointed him as labour minister. Less than a decade later, he was back as railway minister in successive governments headed by H D Deve Gowda and I K Gujaral which together lasted for a couple of years. The Janata Dal faction, with which he was associated in the 1990s, sided with the BJP-led NDA and Paswan was made the minister for communications, and later coal in the government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Later, he floated his own party with a view to exploring the possibilities as the foremost Dalit leader in Bihar after Babu Jagjivan Ram. The Gujarat riots of 2002 saw him quit the NDA in protest and gravitate towards the Congress-led UPA, which came to power two years later. He was appointed the minister for chemicals and fertilizers and steel under Manmohan Singh. His relations with the Congress got strained during the UPA-2 when he was denied a ministerial berth following his party's debacle in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. Paswan himself was defeated at his own citadel of Hajipur. Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls the BJP, which was looking for allies in Bihar so they could help it make up for the loss of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), welcomed him with open arms and offered him seven seats to contest. The LJP won six, including Paswan, his son Chirag and brother Ram Chandra. As the minister for food and public distribution and consumer affairs under Narendra Modi, Paswan made his mark as a stout votary of the government whenever it came under attack on issues of social justice. He handled efficiently the pulses and sugar sector crisis besides bringing reforms in the Public Distribution System. He did not contest the recent Lok Sabha polls. His younger brother and Bihar minister Pashupati Kumar Paras won from Hajipur. Paswan is now set to enter the Rajya Sabha, most likely from Bihar.

Ram Vilas Paswan: Master political craftsman who has worked under six prime ministers

From a counsel holding the brief for the deity 'Ram Lalla' in the Ayodhya title suit to a moderniser spearheading the 'Digital India' initiative and clamping down on contentious practices like instant triple talaq, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad has worn many hats.

Winning his maiden election against colleague-turned opponent Shatrughan Sinha from Patna Sahib seat in Bihar by more than 2.84 lakh votes, 65-year-old Prasad is among the few BJP leaders who have been a minister in every NDA government that came to power at the Centre in last two decades.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/live-updates-prime-minister-narendra-modi-swearing-in-ceremony-222770">Live: Narendra Modi takes oath as PM again along with the council of ministers</a>

Hailing from an RSS background, the lawyer-turned-politician rubbed shoulders with Gandhian-Socialists during Emergency, sharing a jail cell with Lalu Prasad Yadav. The two were office bearers in the Patna University students union during the turbulent 1970s but they later ideologically drifted apart.

Years later, Prasad was the lead lawyer in the Public Interest Litigation against the former Bihar chief minister in the fodder scam case.&nbsp;

Prasad continued to practice law and politics in the BJP, rising to fame as one of the junior ministers in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cabinet. He was Minister of State in the departments of Coal and Mine and Law and Justice. But his most memorable stint was as the Information and Broadcasting minister when he initiated reforms in the radio, television and animation sectors.

When Modi first swept to power in 2014, he was first given the ministries of telecom and information technology and electronics. Later, he was divested of the telecom portfolio. He held the portfolios of law and justice as well as electronics in the outgoing government.

In Modi 2.0 government, he has again become a Cabinet minister. Prasad sworn in as Cabinet minister Thursday.

In the first stint under Modi, the government's flagship Digital India programme was implemented under his watch and drove several initiatives to galvanise electronics and mobile handset manufacturing in the country. Mobile phone manufacturing units in India increased to 120 in 2018 from just 2 in 2014. In the same period, annual production of mobile handsets increased from 60 million units to 225 million units, creating one lakh direct jobs.

He spearheaded programmes for setting up BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) units in smaller towns and cities, and steered the growth of Common Service Centres (CSCs) -- government's rural outreach network for delivery of digital services as well as the new electronics policy that aims to create a USD 400 billion electronic manufacturing ecosystem by 2025, and a separate policy for software to position India as a hub for product development.&nbsp;

An ardent social media user with over 3.2 million followers on Twitter did not stop him from taking a firm stand against social media giants like Facebook and WhatsApp on issues of fake news, data privacy, and election integrity, and has led the charge on draft data protection legislation and tightening of social media rules.

Born to Thakur Prasad, a late Bihar minister and one of the tallest Jana Sangh leaders in the state, Prasad was associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the RSS' students wing since 1970s when he was a student at the Patna University from where he did his M.A. And L.L.B.

Prasad became a member of the BJP national executive in 1995 and was elected to the Rajya Sabha five years later. The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee appointed him the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting with independent charge.

His tenure is remembered for the introduction of the Conditional Access System of satellite TV channels which is said to have dealt a body blow to unhealthy trade practices of cable TV operators.

In the decade during which the BJP-led NDA remained out of power and the country was ruled by Congress-headed UPA, Prasad remained one of the most forceful spokespersons for his party.

He represented 'Ram Lalla', one of the three petitioners in the Ayodhya title suit which was decided in September 2010 by the Allahabad High Court which ordered that the disputed site be equally distributed among the claimants the others being the Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Waqf Board.

After Narendra Modi's ascension to power in 2014, Prasad was made a cabinet minister with important portfolios like Law and Justice and Electronics and IT.

His tenure was marked by initiatives like a successful auction of telecom spectrum the allocation of which was mired in corruption scandals under the previous UPA dispensation, scrapping of over 100 obsolete laws, and the judicial crackdown on instant triple talaq notwithstanding reservations voiced by the opposition as well as BJP allies.

Under his watch, efforts were made to streamline judicial work through measures like installation of video conferencing facilities at courts and appointment of NyayMitras for faster disposal of pending cases.

He was serving his fourth consecutive term in the Rajya Sabha, to which he was re-elected only last year, before making a surprise Lok Sabha debut in the recent general elections.&nbsp;

From a counsel holding the brief for the deity 'Ram Lalla' in the Ayodhya title suit to a moderniser spearheading the 'Digital India' initiative and clamping down on contentious practices like instant triple talaq, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad has worn many hats.

From a counsel holding the brief for the deity 'Ram Lalla' in the Ayodhya title suit to a moderniser spearheading the 'Digital India' initiative and clamping down on contentious practices like instant triple talaq, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad has worn many hats. Winning his maiden election against colleague-turned opponent Shatrughan Sinha from Patna Sahib seat in Bihar by more than 2.84 lakh votes, 65-year-old Prasad is among the few BJP leaders who have been a minister in every NDA government that came to power at the Centre in last two decades. Live: Narendra Modi takes oath as PM again along with the council of ministers Hailing from an RSS background, the lawyer-turned-politician rubbed shoulders with Gandhian-Socialists during Emergency, sharing a jail cell with Lalu Prasad Yadav. The two were office bearers in the Patna University students union during the turbulent 1970s but they later ideologically drifted apart. Years later, Prasad was the lead lawyer in the Public Interest Litigation against the former Bihar chief minister in the fodder scam case. Prasad continued to practice law and politics in the BJP, rising to fame as one of the junior ministers in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cabinet. He was Minister of State in the departments of Coal and Mine and Law and Justice. But his most memorable stint was as the Information and Broadcasting minister when he initiated reforms in the radio, television and animation sectors. When Modi first swept to power in 2014, he was first given the ministries of telecom and information technology and electronics. Later, he was divested of the telecom portfolio. He held the portfolios of law and justice as well as electronics in the outgoing government. In Modi 2.0 government, he has again become a Cabinet minister. Prasad sworn in as Cabinet minister Thursday. In the first stint under Modi, the government's flagship Digital India programme was implemented under his watch and drove several initiatives to galvanise electronics and mobile handset manufacturing in the country. Mobile phone manufacturing units in India increased to 120 in 2018 from just 2 in 2014. In the same period, annual production of mobile handsets increased from 60 million units to 225 million units, creating one lakh direct jobs. He spearheaded programmes for setting up BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) units in smaller towns and cities, and steered the growth of Common Service Centres (CSCs) -- government's rural outreach network for delivery of digital services as well as the new electronics policy that aims to create a USD 400 billion electronic manufacturing ecosystem by 2025, and a separate policy for software to position India as a hub for product development. An ardent social media user with over 3.2 million followers on Twitter did not stop him from taking a firm stand against social media giants like Facebook and WhatsApp on issues of fake news, data privacy, and election integrity, and has led the charge on draft data protection legislation and tightening of social media rules. Born to Thakur Prasad, a late Bihar minister and one of the tallest Jana Sangh leaders in the state, Prasad was associated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the RSS' students wing since 1970s when he was a student at the Patna University from where he did his M.A. And L.L.B. Prasad became a member of the BJP national executive in 1995 and was elected to the Rajya Sabha five years later. The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee appointed him the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting with independent charge. His tenure is remembered for the introduction of the Conditional Access System of satellite TV channels which is said to have dealt a body blow to unhealthy trade practices of cable TV operators. In the decade during which the BJP-led NDA remained out of power and the country was ruled by Congress-headed UPA, Prasad remained one of the most forceful spokespersons for his party. He represented 'Ram Lalla', one of the three petitioners in the Ayodhya title suit which was decided in September 2010 by the Allahabad High Court which ordered that the disputed site be equally distributed among the claimants the others being the Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Waqf Board. After Narendra Modi's ascension to power in 2014, Prasad was made a cabinet minister with important portfolios like Law and Justice and Electronics and IT. His tenure was marked by initiatives like a successful auction of telecom spectrum the allocation of which was mired in corruption scandals under the previous UPA dispensation, scrapping of over 100 obsolete laws, and the judicial crackdown on instant triple talaq notwithstanding reservations voiced by the opposition as well as BJP allies. Under his watch, efforts were made to streamline judicial work through measures like installation of video conferencing facilities at courts and appointment of NyayMitras for faster disposal of pending cases. He was serving his fourth consecutive term in the Rajya Sabha, to which he was re-elected only last year, before making a surprise Lok Sabha debut in the recent general elections.

Ravi Shankar Prasad: The wily counsel of 'Ram Lalla' and Modi's Digital India minder

A number of Bollywood stars are set to attend PM Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Actress Kangana Ranaut, a vocal supporter, and admirer of PM Modi was clicked at the Mumbai airport on Thursday afternoon as she left for Delhi to attend the ceremony that will take place in the evening.&nbsp;

Shahid Kapoor was also spotted at Kalina airport heading for Delhi along with Karan Johar and producer Siddharth Roy Kapoor.&nbsp;

Actress Hema Malini was also spotted leaving for Delhi. Malini has won from her Mathura constituency for the consecutive second time.&nbsp;

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Meanwhile, actors &nbsp;Vivek Oberoi and Boman Irani arrived in the national capital early on Thursday to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

While Oberoi referred to Modi`s oath-taking day as a "big day for the whole country", Irani said, "Congratulations to the BJP, we hope that they keep standing on to our expectations as they have been doing for the past five years."

Vivek Oberoi recently starred in the biopic `PM Narendra Modi` which made it to the big screens last week after much controversy.&nbsp;

The film depicts the journey of Modi from his humble beginnings to his years as a chief minister and finally his landmark election as the prime minister of the country. The film managed to get a lukewarm start with its day-1 collection totalling to Rs. 2.88 crore.

Boman Irani, on the other hand, will soon be seen in `Made in China`, the shooting for which was wrapped up on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Other than Bollywood celebrities, leaders and representatives of eight countries, including Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, will be seen participating in the swearing-in ceremony here.&nbsp;

The ceremony is scheduled to be held at 7 pm in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy at the event.&nbsp;

A number of Bollywood stars are set to attend PM Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Actress Kangana Ranaut, a vocal supporter, and admirer of PM Modi was clicked at the Mumbai airport on Thursday afternoon as she left for Delhi to attend the ceremony that will take place in the evening.

A number of Bollywood stars are set to attend PM Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Actress Kangana Ranaut, a vocal supporter, and admirer of PM Modi was clicked at the Mumbai airport on Thursday afternoon as she left for Delhi to attend the ceremony that will take place in the evening. Shahid Kapoor was also spotted at Kalina airport heading for Delhi along with Karan Johar and producer Siddharth Roy Kapoor. Actress Hema Malini was also spotted leaving for Delhi. Malini has won from her Mathura constituency for the consecutive second time. Meanwhile, actors Vivek Oberoi and Boman Irani arrived in the national capital early on Thursday to attend the swearing-in ceremony. While Oberoi referred to Modi`s oath-taking day as a "big day for the whole country", Irani said, "Congratulations to the BJP, we hope that they keep standing on to our expectations as they have been doing for the past five years." Vivek Oberoi recently starred in the biopic `PM Narendra Modi` which made it to the big screens last week after much controversy. The film depicts the journey of Modi from his humble beginnings to his years as a chief minister and finally his landmark election as the prime minister of the country. The film managed to get a lukewarm start with its day-1 collection totalling to Rs. 2.88 crore. Boman Irani, on the other hand, will soon be seen in `Made in China`, the shooting for which was wrapped up on Tuesday. Other than Bollywood celebrities, leaders and representatives of eight countries, including Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, will be seen participating in the swearing-in ceremony here. The ceremony is scheduled to be held at 7 pm in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Ram Nath Kovind will administer the oath of office and secrecy at the event.

Shahid Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut, Karan Johar to attend PM Modi's swearing-in ceremony

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of the Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in November, according to a Maldives media report Thursday.

Solih, 56, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, emerged victorious over incumbent President Abdulla Yameen in the election held in September 23. The formal results will be announced by the election commission on Sunday.

He will be sworn in on November 17.&nbsp;

The President-elect had extended the invitation during a phone call by Modi, after Solih's victory in the September 23 presidential elections, spokesperson for Solih, Mariya Ahmed Didi was quoted as saying in 'The Edition'.

Modi had also invited Solih to visit India, Mariya said, adding that the president-elect had accepted the invitation.

The two leaders agreed to work closely together to further strengthen the close, friendly and good neighbourly relations between the two countries.

Maldives is the only SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the archipelago was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation.

India's ties with the Maldives came under strain after President Yameen declared Emergency in the country on February 5, following an order by the country's Supreme Court to release a group of Opposition leaders, including his estranged half brother and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had been convicted in widely criticised trials.&nbsp;

India had criticised the Yameen government for the imposition of the Emergency and urged it to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners.&nbsp;

The Emergency was lifted 45 days later.

In July, India expressed concern over announcement of the presidential election without allowing democratic institutions, including Parliament and the judiciary, to work in a free and transparent manner.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of the Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in November, according to a Maldives media report Thursday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of the Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in November, according to a Maldives media report Thursday. Solih, 56, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, emerged victorious over incumbent President Abdulla Yameen in the election held in September 23. The formal results will be announced by the election commission on Sunday. He will be sworn in on November 17. The President-elect had extended the invitation during a phone call by Modi, after Solih's victory in the September 23 presidential elections, spokesperson for Solih, Mariya Ahmed Didi was quoted as saying in 'The Edition'. Modi had also invited Solih to visit India, Mariya said, adding that the president-elect had accepted the invitation. The two leaders agreed to work closely together to further strengthen the close, friendly and good neighbourly relations between the two countries. Maldives is the only SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the archipelago was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation. India's ties with the Maldives came under strain after President Yameen declared Emergency in the country on February 5, following an order by the country's Supreme Court to release a group of Opposition leaders, including his estranged half brother and former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had been convicted in widely criticised trials. India had criticised the Yameen government for the imposition of the Emergency and urged it to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The Emergency was lifted 45 days later. In July, India expressed concern over announcement of the presidential election without allowing democratic institutions, including Parliament and the judiciary, to work in a free and transparent manner.

Maldives' president-elect Solih invites Modi in swearing-in ceremony