Modi appointed PM, swearing-in on May 26

 

New Delhi, May 20, 2014 (PTI): Narendra Modi, who steered BJP and the NDA to a landslide victory in the Lok Sabha elections, was today appointed Prime Minister, ushering in a new era of a non-Congress government with an absolute majority on its own in 30 years.

 

"I came to call on the President. The President has given me a formal letter (of appointment as the PM) and has invited me for oath-taking ceremony on May 26 at 6 pm as we had earlier decided," Modi told the media emerging from the meeting with the President Pranab Mukherjee.

 

Modi’s call on the President came after he was unanimously elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party and later at a combined meeting of the BJP and its allies constituting the NDA as leader of the coalition.

 

Later, a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said as Modi has been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party and BJP has majority support in the House of the People, the President appointed him the Prime Minister of India and requested him to advise the names of members of the council of ministers.

 

"The President will administer the oath of office and secrecy on May 26 at 6 PM at Rashtrapati Bhawan," President’s spokesman Venu Rajamony said.

 

In his brief interaction with the media outside Rashtrapati Bhawan, Modi displayed the President’s letter appointing him to the top post.

 

Earlier the President greeted Modi on his landslide victory.

 

"Welcome, welcome, welcome," Mukherejee said, receiving a bouquet from Modi. Offering a bunch of flowers, he congratulated him on his "grand victory".