(Image source from: The News Minute)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony will be the biggest-ever event held at the historic premises with nearly 8,000 guests.

The swearing-in will be held at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the same venue as in 2014, on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

While the guests attending the event will be treated to high tea, President Ram Nath Kovind will host a private dinner for the leaders from Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) countries as well as Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

"It will be the biggest-ever event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 8,000 people are coming," Ashok Malik, Press Secretary to the President, told IANS.

The Bimstec leaders attending the event include Bangladeshi President Abdul Hamid, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, Myanmarese President U Win Myint, Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and Bhutanese Prime Minister Lotay Tshering. Thailand will be represented by its Special Envoy Grisada Boonrach.

The event will also be attended by leaders of political parties, diplomats and ambassadors and celebrities from various fields.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi, leaders Sonia Gandhi, Anand Sharma, actor Rajinikanth, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-elect YS Jagan Mohan Reddy are among those who will also be attending the event.

By Sowmya Sangam