Must win minorities’ trust, Modi tells allies

New Delhi: Narendra Modi was on Saturday appointed Prime Minister by President Ram Nath Kovind after he was unanimously elected NDA parliamentary party leader at a meeting in which he asked its members to work without discrimination, stressing on the need to win over the trust of minorities.

In an impassioned 75-minute speech in Parliament’s Central Hall that Mr Modi began after bowing to the Constitution, he struck a note of inclusion, asking the MPs to take along everyone, including those who have not voted for the ruling alliance and have been its trenchant critics.

After meeting Mr Kovind, he said his government will leave no stone unturned to fulfill the aspirations and dreams of the people who have given it a massive mandate, multiplying its responsibilities.

“Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind, today appointed @narendramodi to the office of Prime Minister of India,” official Twitter account of Rashtrapati Bhavan posted. The President has asked him to begin process of forming the new government and he will soon inform him about the date of oath-taking ceremony, Mr Modi told media.

All its key allies, including Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U)’s Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray, LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan and Akali Dal’s Parkash Singh Badal, were present as BJP president Amit Shah announced Mr Modi’s name as the alliance leader after formalities were done amid massive cheers from the MPs.

A NDA delegation then met Mr Kovind and Mr Modi staked his claim to form the government.

In his address to NDA members, Mr Modi said his government will now begin “a new journey to build a new India with new energy”. Reaching out to minorities, he slammed the opposition for making them live in an “imaginary fear” and asked the MPs to win their trust and work without any discrimination, including on the basis of faith or caste.