NEW DELHI, May 24: As the BJP swept to power with a spectacular performance for a second term, all eyes are now on government formation, amid speculation that several new faces, including party president Amit Shah, may be brought into the new cabinet.
The council of ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi tendered their resignation, which was accepted by President Ram Nath Kovind, paving way for the formation of the new government.
In the 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.
BJP sources indicated that the swearing-in ceremony of the prime minister and his council of ministers could take place on 30 May.
The newly-elected MPs of the BJP-led NDA will meet on Saturday to formally elect Modi as their leader, setting in motion the process to form a new dispensation.
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.
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.
Among allies, the Shiv Sena and the JD (U) are likely to be given cabinet berths as both the parties have done exceedingly well, winning 18 and 16, respectively.
Earlier in the day, the outgoing union cabinet adopted a resolution recommending the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.
The 17th Lok Sabha has to be constituted before 3 June, 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.
All the newly-elected BJP MPs are expected to meet on Saturday to elect Modi as their leader, following which he will meet the president to stake claim to form the new government, party sources said. (PTI)
