PM Modi meets President Kovind, stakes claim to form government. (Source: President of India/Twitter)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met President Ram Nath Kovind and staked claim to form the government. Prior to this, PM Modi was unanimously elected as the leader of BJP parliamentary party at the meeting of National Democratic Alliance.
At the Central Hall of Parliament, BJP president Amit Shah announced that Modi has been unanimously chosen as the leader of 353 NDA MPs. Following his announcement, a host of NDA leaders such as SAD’s Parkash Singh Badal, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan backed the proposal. Modi’s swearing-in ceremony could take place on May 30 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He won with a margin of 4.79 lakh votes.
Meanwhile, Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s offer to step down from his position has been rejected unanimously by the Congress Working Committee (CWC), said party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. The party has requested Gandhi to carry out a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party. A plan to this effect shall come into force at the earliest, he added. The CWC chaired by Rahul Gandhi held its first review meeting after its humiliating defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP Amit Shah arrive at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday. (Express photo/Tashi Tobgyal)
Narendra Modi said President Kovind has given him a letter designating him as the Prime Minister and thanked people for giving a him a huge mandate. He said his government will leave no stone unturned to fulfill nation's dreams. "Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas is a mantra that shows the path to development for every region of India. I once again thank the people of the nation and assure them that the new govt will leave no stones unturned to fulfill your dreams and expectations."
Stating that minorities were made to live in fear by those who believed in vote-bank politics, Narendra Modi asserted that his government has to put an end to that deception and take everyone along.
Narendra Modi asked NDA MPs to shun VIP culture and said they should stand in queues wherever required, like other citizens. He also asked them to not trust media reports on names being considered for ministerial berths and assured them that responsibilities will be given as per norms.
Narendra Modi called on NDA leaders to maintain restraint in speaking to media and said some statements made for publicity often trouble them.
In his address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told NDA MPs that they are for those who trusted them and also for those whose trust they have to win over.
Reflecting on the recently-held elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the polls generally divide and create a gulf but the 2019 polls united people and society.
While addressing the NDA parliamentary meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the recently-held elections were pro-incumbency. "This pro-incumbency wave is tied with the thread of trust...The trust was not only between people and govt but also among people themselves. This gave birth to that trust," he said.
We will now begin new journey to build new India with new energy: Narendra Modi at NDA meeting.
Days after winning a historic mandate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude to all NDA leaders who endorsed him as their leader.
After Amit Shah's announcement that Modi has been unanimously chosen as the leader of 353 NDA MPs, a host of NDA leaders such as SAD's Parkash Singh Badal, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan backed the proposal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been unanimously elected as leader of BJP parliamentary party at the NDA meeting convened at the Central Hall of Parliament.
Addressing her press conference after the Lok Sabha election results, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said she had offered to resign as CM but the party rejected. "May be, I will continue," she added. (Express Photo: Partha Paul)
Delhi BJP President and MP Manoj Tiwari met Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit at her residence in New Delhi on Saturday. Express photo by Amit Mehra
Congress veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the CWC members have praised Rahul Gandhi for a spirited campaign during the elections and expressed that only the party president can revitalise the party. "In CWC meeting everyone unanimously told him(Rahul Gandhi)he did a good job...No one has a doubt on his leadership but situation was like that. If someone can lead the party in such situation. it's only Rahul Gandhi, if anyone can lead opposition, it's only Rahul Gandhi," he said.
Here's what CWC resolution said
Congress President Rahul Gandhi in his address to the CWC offered his resignation as the party president. The CWC unanimously and with one voice rejected the same and requested the Congress President for his leadership and guidance in these challenging times. The CWC unanimously called upon the Congress President Rahul Gandhi to lead the party in its ideological battle and to champion the cause of India’s youth, the farmers, the SC/ST/OBC’s, the Minorities, the poor and the deprived sections. The CWC fully recognizes the challenges, the failures and the shortcomings, resulting into this mandate. The CWC recommends a thorough introspection and requested the Congress President for a complete overhaul and a detailed restructuring at every level of the party. A plan to this effect shall come into force at the earliest. Congress party has lost the election but our indomitable courage, our fighting spirit and commitment to our ideology remains stronger than ever. We shall continue its fight against forces that thrive on hatred and division.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the CWC has given its party chief Rahul Gandhi the right to make changes to restructure the party. He said that a plan for this will be brought soon.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi offered to step down from his position. However, it was rejected by the members of the CWC unanimously, said party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.
YSR Congress Party president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister designate Y S Jaganmohan Reddy is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Sunday. Reddy, whose party stormed to power with a landslide victory in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday, is likely to discuss providing outside or issue-based support to the Modi government in the meeting, sources said Saturday. PTI
The meeting of the Congress Working Committee is over. A press briefing will be held at 3.30 pm by KC Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala at AICC Headquarters.
President Ram Nath Kovind Saturday dissolved the 16th Lok Sabha with immediate effect on the recommendation of the Union cabinet.
The newly elected BJP-led NDA MPs are expected to meet this evening to formally elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi as their leader for another term and thereby allowing him to approach the President to stake claim to form government.
Read full story here
CWC meeting began 11 in the morning. It is expected to end soon. See pictures from today's meeting.
Its been over two hours since the CWC meeting consumed. No word has come out as yet. However, Congress Spokesperson rubbished reports of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's resignation.
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will today chair an emergency meeting with party workers for an analysis of the Lok Sabha election results which registered a massive win for the BJP. Making inroads in Bengal, the BJP won 18 of the 42 seats and with a vote share of 40.5 per cent. Read full story here
President of India Ram Nath Kovind, on the advice of Union Cabinet, signed the order of dissolving the 16th Lok Sabha.
After releasing the final tally of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora submitted the list of winners to President Ram Nath Kovind.
Jaganmohan Reddy was elected leader of the YSR Congress Party on Saturday, two days after it registered a thumping victory in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha elections. The party swept the state polls, winning 151 of the 175 legislative Assembly seats. It will also send 22 of the state’s 25 MPs to the Lok Sabha.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala rubbished reports of Rahul Gandhi offering his resignation, says it's incorrect.
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting is underway at party Head Quarters in Delhi.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has skipped the CWC meeting as he will be attending a legislative meeting in the state. His government is under pressure after losing all seats in his state except the one where his son was contesting from. In an interview with The Indian Express, Nath said the party was defeated because of BJP's strong election machinery. "The message of Modi and the agenda of the BJP were delivered all across well in time by his people. But our message did not reach the people effectively. RSS workers were moving around the state six months before the elections. They had identified areas and subjects that they wanted highlighted."
Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) swept Delhi by a massive margin, this year. The party won in all 7 Lok Sabha seats. Here's a picture of newly elected BJP Members of Parliament in New Delhi on Saturday. Express Photo by Praveen Khanna
Its been an hour into the CWC meeting. The party is taking stock of defeat in Lok Sabha.
He urged the PMO to continue to be efficient and maintain the success of the party. He congratulated them on the victory.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an address to party workers, said everyone worked for this victory. We succeeded because of cumulative leadership effect and not single leadership.
Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, DMK president MK Stalin and newly elected members offered tribute late M Karunanidhi. The party alliance in the state swept the Lok Sabha polls, winning 37 of 39 seats, including the solitary Puducherry seat, as an anti-BJP mood seemed to prevail in the state
The Congress Working Committee(CWC) meeting, chaired by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, is being attended by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh, chief ministers of party-ruled states and other top leaders from across the country. The meeting will go into the reasons behind the party's defeat and discuss why as to its poll narrative failed to convince the people to vote in its favour.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi, had earlier, congratilated PM Modi on the massive victory and said, he accepts people's mandate.
When asked on fixing responsibility for the loss, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, "This is between my party and I. Between me and the Congress CWC."
Source: Tashi Tobgyal
Key factors on Congress agenda to come in from the meeting.
This is Congress's first review meeting since facing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections 2019
The Congress Working Committee, which includes general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, her mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and the chief ministers of all Congress-ruled states - Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh - are meeting today to review the defeat.
Review meeting to begin anytime. Leaders have started coming in.
52 members of the Congress will be part of this crucial CWC meeting. The meeting will begin shortly.
After winning a thumping victory this Lok Sabha election, PM Modi will head to home town in Gujarat to seek his mother's blessing. The Prime Minister may also visit his constituency, Varanasi, to thank voters. He won with a margin of 4.79 lakh votes.
A total of 78 women members of parliament (MP) will be part of the 17th Lok Sabha, taking the proportion of women MPs up to 14 per cent. While this is the highest percentage of women MPs since Independence, India is still far behind the global average of 24 per cent or even South Asian average of 18 per cent. Read full story here
With the BJP making a stunning return to power winning 303 seats on its own, the future role of its president Amit Shah, who strategised and delivered a second wave in favour of Narendra Modi, has become the talking point in political circles.
Speculation is rife that he will join the next Modi cabinet and could be the second in command. Read more
A former chief minister, on the condition that he not be named, argued that a Congress revival may be “difficult” with Rahul Gandhi at the helm. “Because now a huge antipathy has been developed towards this whole entitlement politics. Because I belong to a family, I can be a leader, my sister can be leader…you must accept that all. That people, especially the younger generation, is not accepting.”
Many leaders are expecting him to offer his resignation at the CWC meeting today.
Bharatiya Janata Party makes big gains in its vote share in key states while holding on to its support base in others. Here's a break up:
The BJP increased its tally from 2 to 18 and its vote share from 16.8 per cent to 40.3 per cent in West Bengal
The BJP’s voteshare increased from 42.63 per cent in 2014 to 49.56 per cent this in Utttar Pradesh
But in Tamil Nadu, the party's vote share reduced from 5.5 per cent in 2014 to 3.66 per cent this year.
Months after the Congress came to power in Madhya Pradesh, the general election saw a very high turnout. The BJP got 58 per cent votes this time — nearly 3.24 per cent more than what it got five years ago.
The BJP, which has been continuously increasing its vote share in Haryana in the general elections, bagged over 58 per cent votes this time. Read here for other states
The MPs will meet in the Central Hall of Parliament at 5 pm where Modi is likely to address them. BJP leaders said the re-election will be a mere formality since Modi had been declared as the coalition’s prime ministerial candidate. Read more