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Indian PM to be sworn in for second term

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was to be sworn in for a second term Friday, following the resounding election victory of his Congress-led alliance.The 76-year-old, soft-spoken economist and his 60-strong cabinet were scheduled to take their oath of office from Indian president Pratibha Patil at the presidential palace in New Delhi on Friday evening. 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. 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.

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