PM Modi Meets President Ram Nath Kovind, Stakes Claim To Form Government

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met President Ram Nath Kovind and staked a claim to form a government at the centre. The President later informed in a tweet that Narendra Modi has been appointed to the office of Prime Minister of India.

A National Democratic Alliance delegation, led by BJP President Amit Shah, also met the President to hand over the letter of support to the BJP government. Shiromani Akali Dal chief Prakash Singh Badal, BJP's Bihar allies Nitish Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan, BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh and Sushma Swaraj, NPP leader Conrad Sangma were part of the delegation.

"A letter stating that Narendra Modi had been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party was handed over to the President. Letters of support from NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the President," a tweet from the President's official account read.

The President has requested PM Modi to furnish the names of members of his Council of Ministers, and to indicate the date and time of the swearing-in ceremony.

After meeting the President, PM Modi also addressed the media.

"In the coming days, the government will start working speedily. We hope not a single second will go to waste," he said.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi addressed newly elected members of the NDA for the first time since his massive national election victory.

"The way the poor have been cheated, the minorities have been deceived the same way. It would have been good if their education, their health had been taken care of. In 2019, I expect you to punch a hole in that deception. We have to earn their trust," PM Modi told the lawmakers in parliament's Central Hall this evening.

The BJP has improved its 2014 general election tally as it bagged 303 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. The NDA has won 352 seats.