Modi 2.0: Process for forming next govt begins, Oath likely on May 30

16th LS dissolved, PM resigns, asked to continue till swearing-in

JAMMU: As the BJP swept to power with a spectacular performance for a second term, all eyes are now on government formation the process for which has been set in motion with the council of ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tendering their resignation which was accepted by President Ram Nath Kovind, paving way for Modi-led new government.

Newly elected MPs of the BJP-led NDA will meet on Saturday to formally elect Modi as their leader, even as an announcement on the date of swearing-in ceremony of new Prime Minister could be made after the meeting.

While official word on the big date is awaited, credible BJP sources claim that Modi will take oath on May 30. “Swearing-in ceremony of the prime minister and his council of ministers will take place on May 30,” they said.

In first back-to-back majority in the Lok Sabha polls for a single party in over three decades, the Modi-led BJP won 303 seats out of 542 in the Lok Sabha polls, handing out a crushing defeat to the Congress and many other political opponents.

The final tally of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 was updated by the Election Commission of India on Friday. The main opposition Congress could manage only 52 seats.

The Union Cabinet Friday recommended the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha as the Union Council of Ministers tendered their collective resignation.

The prime minister met the president and tendered his resignation along with the council of ministers.
President Kovind accepted the resignation of Modi and asked him to continue till a new government assumes office, a communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

"The president has accepted the resignation and requested Modi and the council of ministers to continue till the new government assumes office," the communique said.

"The sun sets on this term, but the brightness our work has brought will continue to illuminate the lives of millions. A new dawn awaits, a new term beckons," Modi tweeted soon after meeting president.
He said his government is even more determined to fulfil the dreams of 130 crore Indians and create the "New India all of us dreamt of".

The 17th Lok Sabha has to be constituted before June 3 and the process to form a new House will be initiated when the three Election Commissioners meet the President in the next few days to hand over the list of newly-elected members.

The newly-elected MPs of the BJP-led NDA will now meet on Saturday to formally elect Modi as their leader, setting in motion the process to form a new dispensation.

The BJP said the meeting will take place in Parliament's Central Hall at 5 pm. Prior to this, BJP MPs will meet separately at Parliament House.

Modi is expected to address the MPs following his election as their leader.

With Modi already being announced as the prime ministerial candidate of the alliance, the meeting is being considered a mere formality.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has got more than 350 members in Lok Sabha, including 303 of the BJP.

According to sources, Modi is likely to visit his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on May 28, followed by his Gujarat visit the next day, before oath-taking by new members on May 30.

The present Modi government had taken oath on May 26, 2014.

Besides the prime minister, the Union Council of Ministers has 60 members, including cabinet ministers, ministers of state with independent charges and ministers of state.

Meanwhile, speculations are rife that several new faces including party president Amit Shah may be brought into the new cabinet.

Many BJP leaders are of the view that Shah will join the Modi Cabinet and is expected to be given one of the four key ministries -- Home, Finance, External Affairs and Defence.

With Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj having health issues, there have been talks whether they will be part of the new dispensation or not.

Jaitley, a Rajya Sabha member, had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election from Amritsar in 2014, while Swaraj, who had won from Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, opted out from the electoral battle this time on health ground.

The two leaders have not commented on whether they would like to join the government or not.
In the run-up to the results, Shah had also sidestepped queries on him joining the government, saying it is the prerogative of the party and the prime minister.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to continue with a key role in the new government.
With Smriti Irani handing a shock defeat to Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, it is expected that the party may reward her with an important responsibility.

A number of senior faces from the outgoing cabinet including Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Piyush Goyal, Narendra Singh Tomar and Prakash Javadekar are set to figure in the new cabinet.
Among allies, Shiv Sena and JD(U) are likely to be given cabinet berths as both the parties have done exceedingly well, winning 18 and 16 respectively.

The party will reward new faces from states like West Bengal, Odisha and Telangana where it has made significant inroads.

"A number of young faces are likely to be inducted into the council of ministers as the BJP leadership has been working to groom a second line of leadership," said a senior party leader.