Narendra Modi appointed PM, to be sworn-in on May 26 at 6 pm

Rashtrapati ji has formally invited me to form the government, oath taking ceremony will be held at May 26 at 6 pm, says Narendra Modi after meeting President Pranab Mukherjee t.

Zee Media Bureau/Ajith Vijay Kumar

3:40 pm Rashtrapati ji has formally invited me to form the government, oath taking ceremony will be held at May 26 at 6 pm, says Narendra Modi after meeting President Pranab Mukherjee

3:30 pm President Pranab Mukherjee congratulates Narendra Modi on "grand victory" in elections.

3:15 pm Narendra Modi arrives in Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet President Pranab Mukherjee.

3:01 pm “We have requested the President to consider inviting Narendra Modi to take oath as the Prime Minister”, Rajnath Singh said after meeting President Pranab Mukherjee

Rajnath also informed the media that Modi government will be sworn-in on May 26, but said that time has not be decided yet.

2:50 pm NDA leaders, led by LK Advani, meet President Pranab Mukherjee to convey support to Narendra Modi-led government

2:45 pm NDA delegation heads to Raisina Hill to meet President.

2:40 pm Narendra Modi to take oath as Prime Minsiter on May 26 (Monday), claimed reports.

2:28 pm Taking the process of government formation forward, NDA`s working chairman LK Advani will lead a 15-member delegation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to President Pranab Mukherjee at around 3 pm to convey to him its decision to elect Narendra Modi as the grouping’s leader.

Narendra Modi will then call on the President at 3:15 pm. Modi will meet the President in the company of NDA leaders.

Besides Advani, the NDA delegation will comprise BJP president Rajnath Singh, Murli Manohar Joshi, Akali Dal’s Prakash Singh Badal and Sukhbir Singh, TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray, LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan and Neiphu Rio of Naga People’s Front.

Other BJP leaders who will be part of the NDA delegation include Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Ananth Kumar and Thawar Chand Gehlot.

2:15 pm Even though BJP got majority on its own, NDA allies will be as important as they would have been without clear majority. I thank all our NDA allies for coming here to bless us - Narendra Modi

1:50 pm I am privileged to be part of the NDA. I decided to contest Lok Sabha elections after meeting Modi ji. I thought I could contribute more to the development of Northeast and the rest of the country - Neiphiu Rio

1:48 pm People of the weaker sections have joined the main stream. Those who used to do politics on the basis of caste and religion have been exposed, says LJP`s Ram Vilas Paswan

1:42 pm I am very confident that India will have a bright future under Narendra Modi`s leadership. I am confident Narendra Modi will do it, says Chandrababau Naidu. Again in 2019, Narendra Modi will be the Prime Minister and many more time, that is our wish and the wish of the nation, he added.

1:38 pm I can`t believe that the `Narendra Modi dream` we all saw has come true. `Acche Din` have begun and I remember my father Balasaheb today. I assure that Shiv Sena and Maharashtra will stand by you always, says Uddhav Thackeray

1:35 pm It is an historic day. The old relationship between BJP and SAD gives me great pride, says Parkash Singh Badal.

1:25 pm BJP president Rajnath Singh introduces leaders of all NDA partners.

1:11 pm I want to assure you all that I will not let you down and work hard to meet the expectations from me - Modi

1:10 pm Though we could not die for independence, we have this opportunity to live for an independent India - Modi

1:08 pm Want to assure my countrymen, we have to give up despair. I am a very optimistic man; only optimistic man can bring optimism in the country, says Modi

1 pm There is new hope among people that we can fulfill their aspirations. This is an era of responsibility, it has already begun - Modi

12:54 pm BJP is like my mother and when a son serves his mother,he is shoing no mercy, it is his duty. The party has shown mercy, not me. I am grateful that I am given an opportunity to serve India - Narendra Modi

12:53 pm Advani ji said Modi should show mercy, he should not have said that - Modi said with tears in his eyes.

12:50 pm The son of a poor man is standing in front of you people today, this is the power of democracy - Modi

12:48 pm After campaigning ended on April 10, like a disciplined soldier I met my Party President giving him a detail on what I did since I was given the responsibility. As a hard-working party worker, I ensured that not even one minute of my time is wasted - Narendra Modi

12:43 pm This is the temple of democracy. Position is not important, the responsibility bestowed on us by 125 crore Indians is more important – Modi

12:38 pm I thank you all that you have unanimously given me a new responsibility. If Vajpayee ji would have been here it would have been better - Modi

12:35 pmI had tears in my eyes when India became independent, then I had tears when emergency ended and when Narendra bhai greeted me today, I got tears in my eyes as it is an historic moment of happiness, says LK Advani.

12:28 pm In Hyderabad, Narendrabhai said "yes we can", as party President I can say "Yes, he will" - Rajnath Singh

12:20 pm Narendra Modi gets standing ovation from newly elected BJP MPs.

12:15 pm Rajnath Singh declares Narendra Modi elected as BJP parliamentary party leader.

12:08 pm Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Karia Munda, Gopinath Munde, Ravishankar Prasad, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also second Advani`s proposal.

12:07 pm Murli Manohar Joshi, Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari second the name of Modi as the leader of the parliamentary party.

12:05 pm I propose the name of Naredra Modi as the leader of BJP`s Parliamentary Party, says Advani.

12:01 pm It is an historic moment, says Rajnath Singh, adding that it is the first time PM-designate Narendra Modi has come to the central hall of Parliament.

11:50 am Narendra Modi arrives in Parliament, touches his forehead on the ground outside the entrance. With folded hands he greets all and then touches Advani`s feet before taking his seat on the stage with Rajnath Singh and LK Advani.

11:45 am PM-designate Narendra Modi leaves Gujarat Bhawan for Parliament.

11:40 am Newly elected MPs and BJP supporters have started trooping into the Central Hall of Parliament. Narendra Modi to arrive shortly.

11:05 am Parliament House is all decked up to welcome the new MPs, especially PM-designate Narendra Modi.

Modi will be elected by BJP`s 282 MPS as the Parliamentary Party leader at a meeting in the central hall of Parliament. Party patriarch LK Advani will propose his name as the new leader of the Parliamentary Party.

Later, the NDA MPs will also elect him as the leader of NDA parliamentary coalition.

10:05 am “I feel Cabinet should be the sole prerogative of the PM-designate, he (Modi ) will be responsible for delivery also so he must be given a free hand,” Parrikar told a news channel after meeting Modi

9:25 am Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has met Narendra Modi at Gujarat Bhavan. Parrikar is known to be close to Modi and had played a key role in getting the party to declare Modi as PM nominee in September last year.

PM-designate Narendra Modi will meet President Pranab Mukherjee to officially express willingness to form the government, which may be sworn-in by the weekend.

63-year-old Modi will be accompanied by an NDA delegation to the Rashtrapati Bhavan at around 3 pm. The coalition partners will convey to the President their decision to elect Modi as their leader. The NDA has won 336 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha.

The President will then formally seek Modi`s opinion on the swearing-in ceremony, following which the date, when the Modi government will assume office, will be announced.

Even as the process of government formation has officially begun, there is little clarity on the names which have made it to the Modi cabinet.

Party president Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Murli Manohar Joshi,Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari are among those who are certain to find place in the new cabinet.

However, the role of Advani in the new government is not clear. While reports have indicated that he wants to be the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, a definitive decision on the matter is yet to be arrived at.

As Shahnawaz Hussain has lost the Lok Sabha polls, party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi could be the sole Muslim face in the Cabinet.

While Rajnath is the clear favourite for the home ministry, the jury is out between Arun Jaitley and Arun Shourie for the Finance Ministry.

Some leaders belonging to allies like Shiv Sena, TDP, and LJP may also be included. Old ally Akali Dal has already declared that it is not interested in being part of the government.

Gujarat Bhawan in central Delhi as been the nerve-centre of activities as Modi has made it his temporary residence before he moves to 7 Race Course Road.

Modi will go to Ahmedabad in the evening and address a rally at his assembly constituency Maninagar at 7 pm and tell the voters that he would be resigning and moving on to Delhi.

The PM-designate will resign as Chief Minister tomorrow and a new leader of the Gujarat BJP Legislature Party will be elected to succeed him in the state.

Modi`s close confidante and Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel is said to be the frontrunner for the Chief Minister`s post.