‘An era of responsibility has begun’

 

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS): An era of responsibility and hope has begun, said PM-designate Narendra Modi who became emotional while addressing the party’s newly-elected MPs after being unanimously elected leader of the BJP parliamentary party Tuesday, a formality that set in motion a constitutional process that will culminate in his forming a new Indian government next week.

Addressing the party MPs and other leaders in the Central Hall of parliament, which he visited for the first time and where he went down on his knees to touch his forehead to the steps leading to it in reverence to the ‘temple of democracy’, Modi said the majority given to the BJP in the Lok Sabha was “a vote for hope and faith.”

“A government should be one that works for the poor and this is why the new government is committed to the poor of the country and dedicated to the youth of the country as well as our mothers and daughters,” said Modi, adding: “The celebrations, excitement will go on but the era of responsibility has begun.”

Modi’s name was proposed by party elder L.K. Advani and seconded by other senior leaders including Murli Manohar Joshi, M. Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley.

There was excitement in the air in the Central Hall as newly-elected BJP MPs arrived early and greeted each other with hugs and embraces. As soon as Modi arrived, he was thronged by MPs wishing to congratulate him. As Modi spoke, he was repeatedly cheered with thumping of desks. There were moist eyes with Advani also admitting that he was overwhelmed by the occasion. The BJP is returning to power after ten long years.

The BJP parliamentary party meeting was followed by that of the party-led National Democratic Alliance in which several of the 29 allies felicitated Modi. Modi later met President Pranab Mukherjee and staked claim to forming the government. The Modi-led BJP won a staggering 282 seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha, becoming the first non-Congress party since Independence to get a majority on its own. The Congress fell to an embarrassing tally of 44 seats, its lowest ever.

Referring to his humble origins, Modi said it was due to democracy in the country that he was “in the Central Hall today”. Modi said he never felt dejected. “Only optimistic people can enthuse others. We have to leave pessimism.” “Responsibility given by the organization has to be performed with a sense of purity,” Modi said and added that he had done the same when he was declared prime ministerial candidate of the party in September last year. Calling himself a disciplined soldier and vowing to work for the “poorest of the poor”, Modi said he would present his government’s report card in 2019, exactly five years from now.

He added it would be for the first time that the government would be formed under the leadership of a person who was born in Independent India. “We did not get the chance to die for the country but people have given us a chance to live for the country. Every second and each part of the body should be used in the service of the country,” he stated.

 

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days for North East

DIMAPUR, MAY 20 (MExN): MP elect from Nagaland state and current Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio today expressed hope for “better days ahead” for the people of the North East, while speaking at the NDA parliamentary meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Rio, who was introduced to the house by BJP senior leader, LK Advani, remarked: “It is a proud moment for me to be a part and parcel of this great alliance.” The Nagaland CM informed that he had decided to contest for the Lok Sabha seat from Nagaland state after meeting with the Prime Minister in waiting Narendra Modi.  
Rio expressed optimism that he would be able to take on bigger responsibilities “for my state, the North East and in building the nation,” and asserted that the NPF is committed to the NDA alliance. He recalled how former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vaypayee had granted many packages and lamented that the NDA’s loss in 2004 had proved detrimental to Nagaland.

 Rio further called upon leaders at the centre to focus on the NE and address problems faced by people in the region. “We would not like to be a liability to the country but a contributor in building the nation,” he added. The Nagaland CM also accompanied the NDA delegation led by Modi to meet the President of India. The delegation submitted a letter to the President stating that Modi has been elected as President of the BJP parliamentary party. 

 

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Past Prime Ministers of India

Narendra Modi will be sworn-in India’s 14th prime minister Monday, May 26. The following is the list of the past prime ministers:
1.    Jawaharlal Nehru (Aug 15, 1947-May 27, 1964/Four terms)
2.    Lal Bahadur Shastri (June 9, 1964-Jan 11, 1966)
3.    Indira Gandhi (Jan 24, 1966-March 24, 1977; Jan 14, 1980-Oct 31, 1984/Four terms)
4.    Morarji Desai (March 24, 1977-July 28, 1979)
5.    Charan Singh (July 28, 1979-Jan 14, 1980)
6.    Rajiv Gandhi (Oct 31, 1984-Dec 2, 1989)
7.    Vishwanath Pratap Singh (Dec 2, 1989-Nov 10, 1990)
8.    Chandra Shekhar (Nov 10, 1990-June 21, 1991)
9.    P.V. Narasimha Rao (June 21, 1991-May 16, 1996)
10. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (May 16, 1996-June 1, 1996; March 19, 1998-May 22, 2004/Three terms)
11. H.D. Deve Gowda (June 1, 1996-April 21, 1997)
12. Inder Kumar Gujral (April 21, 1997-March 19, 1998)
13. Manmohan Singh (May 22, 2004-May 17, 2014/Two terms)
Source: IANS

 

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New Delhi, May 20 (Agencies): President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday formally appointed Narendra Modi as the next prime minister of India after the latter met him, along with senior leaders of his party and the National Democratic Alliance, and staked claim to forming a government. He will take his oath next Monday, May 26, as India’s 14th prime minister.

 “Narendra Modi, Leader of the BJP parliamentary party, called on the president today. As Narendra Modi has been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party and BJP has the majority support in the House of the People, the president appointed Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India and requested him to advise the names of others to be appointed members of t he council of ministers,” a communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, said.

Speaking to reporters after the short meeting which lasted some 15 minutes, Modi said: “The president has given me a letter (of appointment)... the oath-taking ceremony will take place here (Rashtrapati Bhavan) on May 26 at 6 p.m.” “I thank all of you,” he told the hundreds of media persons gathered in the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt, and showed the letter that he had received from the president. The oath-taking will take place in the expansive forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan and will be telecast live to the nation. It would be the first time, as Modi himself pointed out, that someone from the post-Independence generation would lead the country.