New Delhi [India], June 9 (ANI): Two-time Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar who won the 2024 general elections from Karnal constituency and is among the probable ministers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's new government on Sunday said that the latter has asked all those who attended a customary high tea meeting hosted by him today to stay back in the national capital for the next 24 hours.
Khattar was among those present at a high tea ceremony organised at the Prime Minister's 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence ahead of the oath-taking ceremony this evening.
The former Haryana chief minister said, "It has become a tradition of Narendra Modi that he calls people to his residence for a tea meeting. He only calls those whom he wants to induct into his cabinet. Some formalities were to be done, which I have completed. He has asked us to stay in Delhi for the next 24 hours. Other than me, Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar from Haryana were also present in the meeting..."
Khattar won from Karnal defeating Congress' Divyanshu Budhiraja by a margin of 23,2577 votes.
Khattar was the Chief Minister till March this year when the Bharatiya Janata Party suddenly chose to drop him from the post and field him for the Lok Sabha elections.
He was replaced by Nayab Singh Saini as the Chief Minister.
A former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Pracharak Khattar has served as the Chief Minister for two terms from October 2014 and has been representing the Karnal Legislative Assembly since 2014.
In the 2019 Vidhan Sabha elections, he defeated Congress' Tarlochan Singh by a margin of 45,188 votes. In 2014, Khattar won against Independent Candidate Jai Parkash Gupta by a margin of 63,773 votes.
Khattar was the Organizational General Secretary of the BJP in Haryana during 2000-2014 and started the publication of Bhajpa Ki Baat magazine in October 2000.
Meanwhile, Republican Party of India Rajya Sabha MP Ramdas Athawale who was also present at today's tea meeting at the Prime Minister's residence said he will be part of the new ministers to be inducted later this evening.
"Today, Narendra Modi will take oath as the PM for the third time. It is a matter of pride for the entire country. The oath-taking ceremony will be done today, and the portfolios will be decided tomorrow. I will be happy with whatever portfolio I am given... Around 60 leaders of the NDA were present in the tea meeting today..."
BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat who was present at the meeting at Prime Minister's residence said, "... The Prime Minister has given me the opportunity to serve the country by including me in his team for the third consecutive time. We will work as a team under the leadership of the Prime Minister and will fulfil all the promises and live up to the expectations and aspirations of the country."
PM Modi will take the oath of office at 7.15 pm today along with his council of ministers in a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) unanimously passed a resolution to elect Narendra Modi as their leader on June 5. (ANI)
