Modi resigns as new term beckons

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday submitted his resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind, marking an end to his first term in office and setting the stage for the formation of the new government.

President Kovind accepted Modi's resignation and asked him to continue in office till new arrangement were made.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Prime Minister tendered his resignation along with the Union Council of Ministers,” a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said.

“The President accepted the resignation and requested the Prime Minister and the Union Council of Ministers to continue in office till the new Government is formed,” it added.

Earlier, the Prime Minister chaired the final meeting of the Union Cabinet which approved a resolution advising the President to dissolve the 16th Lok Sabha.

“A new dawn awaits, a new term beckons,” Modi said after meeting the President.

President Kovind also hosted a dinner for the outgoing union council of ministers.

To enable the President to form a new government, the Election Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora will submit the list of newly 542 elected members of the 17th Lok Sabha to the President.

The new Lok Sabha will be constituted after the Election Commission issues a notification of the outcome of the general election.

After the Cabinet's recommendation, the President is now expected to dissolve the present Lok Sabha, the term of which is ending on June 3.

Modi is expected to make some changes in the council of ministers amid speculation that BJP President Amit Shah, who won the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, tipped to get a key portfolio in the new government.

Smriti Irani, who emerged as a giant killer by defeating Congress President Rahul Gandhi from his family bastion Amethi, is also expected to get a key assignment.

Modi and Shah on Friday called on BJP veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi to seek their blessings after the party's victory in the Lok Sabha elections.