NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Narendra Modi
, along with his council of ministers, has tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu prior to the formation of the upcoming Bharatiya Janata Party-led
NDA
government.
This step will lead to the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, which was in session from 2019 to 2024. The President has accepted the resignation and has requested PM Modi and the Council of Ministers to continue in their roles until the new government takes office.
The decision to resign was made following a Cabinet meeting held in New Delhi on Wednesday, where the recommendation to dissolve the cabinet, whose term is set to expire on June 16, was put forward.
On June 7, a meeting of the newly elected MPs of the NDA, led by the BJP, will be held in the national capital to discuss the formation of the government. The Election Commission of India has announced the results for 542 out of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with BJP securing 240 seats and the Congress winning 99.
Although BJP’s victory tally was lower than its previous performances in 2019 and 2014, Congress showed significant growth, winning 99 seats compared to 52 in 2019 and 44 in 2014.
INDIA bloc
, which crossed the 230 mark, posed a strong challenge and defied exit poll predictions.
PM Modi has secured a third term, but BJP will require the support of other parties in his coalition, such as JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and TDP’s chief Chandrababu Naidu, as it fell 32 seats short of the 272 majority mark in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This marks the first time since 2014 that BJP has not secured a majority on its own.
Concurrently, the opposition INDIA bloc is also set to meet on Wednesday, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge inviting alliance leaders to his residence. Following a favorable outcome in the Lok Sabha polls, the leaders of the INDIA bloc will strategise their next course of action.
