President appoints Modi as Prime Minister, oath on May 26

New Delhi: Promising that his government will “try to live up to the expectations of people” and will present a report card of governance to the people in 2019, Narendra Modi was on Tuesday handed over a letter of appointment as Prime Minister by President Pranab Mukherjee. Mr Modi will be formally sworn in as the nation’s next Prime Minister at Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 26 at 6 pm.

Earlier, Mr Modi was elected BJP parliamentary party leader and then NDA leader at Parliament’s Central Hall on Tuesday, where he was accorded a standing ovation by BJP MPs. Party president Rajnath Singh described the occasion as “a historic moment in the politics of India”.

Mr Modi, while thanking party leaders, karyakartas (workers) and the people for the “absolute majority” that the BJP has got in the Lok Sabha elections, said people voted for “hope and trust” and in “hope and faith”.

In a clear signal to party leaders not to lobby for portfolios, Mr Modi said: “We will work with all purity... not for the designations, but for the people of the country. Work and responsibility are the biggest things.” His remarks came as the BJP top brass, in consultation with the RSS, are trying to give a final touch to the portfolios. Some BJP and NDA leaders are busy lobbying for plum posts.

The constituents of the 29-party NDA greeted Mr Narendra Modi as a “strong” personality with “extraordinary capabilities” under whom the “country will prosper and attain a major stature in the world”. Mr Modi’s first cabinet is expected to be fairly small: sources said he may have a team of just 15 ministers as he wanted to stick to his mantra of “minimum government, maximum governance”. Speculation is rife that the Akali Dal may not join the Modi government, at least initially.

Mr Modi’s government will be the first non-Congress government to take office in 30 years with an absolute majority. His election as parliamentary party leader was received with the thumping of desks as the Central Hall of Parliament reverberated to cries of “Bharat Mata ki jai”. The BJP’s chief ministers were also present on the occasion.

After Mr Modi was elected as the coalition leader, NDA leaders, including Mr Modi, called on President Pranab Mukherjee. Mr Modi said the NDA allies will be as important for him as they would have been had the BJP not got a majority on its own. While the BJP has 282 members, the coalition has a strength of 336 in the Lok Sabha.

Most BJP leaders were seen weaing saffron, including Maneka Gandhi, Uma Bharti and Yogi Adityanath. The backdrop of flowers in the Central Hall was made out in the colours of the Indian tricolour.

“I accept the responsibility you have entrusted upon me. I assure you today when we meet in 2019 and I present my report card, you will not feel let down. You will never get an opportunity to look down on what my government will do,” Mr Modi said. He dedicated his government to the poor and the common man, saying: “I believe a government is one which thinks of the poor, listens to the poor and lives for the poor.” He also said his government will work for the youth and “mothers and sisters who are craving for respect”.

Mr Modi, who earlier said he would seek the support of each and every political party to run the nation, said on Tuesday: “Various governments tried to do some good work in their own way, for which they deserve appreciation. Whatever good has happened, we will carry it forward.” Hailing the “strength” of Indian democracy and of the Constitution, he said it was entirely because of that a man of humble origin like him could make it to the top.

Earlier, proposing Mr Modi’s name as the parliamentary party leader, veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani said he was a “popular and famous leader”, and that he was happy to commend his name. “In everyone’s life, there are some memorable moments, and this is one such moment... History is being made every moment today,” he said.

Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu said that under Mr Modi’s leadership India will find a place among world powers, while Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said: “Good days have commenced”.

Mr Modi will be sworn in at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 26 in the presence of over 3,000 invitees. Mr Modi has expressed his desire to be sworn at the sprawling forecourt so that a large number of visitors can be accommodated to witness the ceremony.

In the letter of appointment, the President noted he had received a communication from BJP chief Rajnath Singh on Tuesday informing him of Mr Modi’s unanimous election as leader of the BJP parliamentary party, which has emerged as the majority party in the election.