India's new MPs sworn in
Newly-elected Indian MPs were sworn into parliament at its first session today, weeks after a stunning election upset that saw the victory of the Congress-led alliance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The swearing in of all 543 MPs in New Delhi was expected to take two days.
Among the first to be sworn in was Sonia Gandhi, the Italian-born leader of the Congress party, who declined to become prime minister amid criticism of a foreign-born person leading India.
Also sworn in was Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the ousted prime minister, whose alliance is now in the opposition.
Before voting in the five-phase parliament elections, which began April 20, most pollsters had predicted an easy win for Vajpayee.
“Overconfidence could be one of the causes of the defeat,” said today.
Vajpayee predicted that the new government – a coalition of 12 parties that do not control a majority in parliament – will not last its full five-year term.
