Narendra Modi appointed PM-elect by President Ram Nath Kovind

After the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance unanimously elected him as their leader, Modi reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan Saturday night to stake claim to form the next government.

Kovind requested Modi to advise him about the names of others to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers; and indicate the date and time of the swearing-in ceremony to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan./ TWITTER IMAGE

New Delhi: After the BJP and the National Democratic Alliance unanimously elected him as their leader, BJP leader Narendra Modi was on Saturday was appointed prime minister-elect by President Ram Nath Kovind. Kovind requested Modi to advise him about the names of others to be appointed members of the Union Council of Ministers; and indicate the date and time of the swearing-in ceremony to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Exercising powers vested in him under Article 75 (1) of the Constitution of India, President Kovind, today appointed @narendramodi to the office of Prime Minister of India pic.twitter.com/xrs5jgCGkF

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 25, 2019

After Modi reached the Rashtrapati Bhavan Saturday night to stake claim to form the next government, Modi told reporters at the forecourts of Rashtrapati Bhavan that President Kovind has appointed him prime minister-elect and asked him to form the new government. Modi said "Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas is a mantra that shows the path to development for every region of India. I once again thank the people of the nation and assure them that the new govt will leave no stones unturned to fulfill your dreams & expectations" Earlier in the day, a delegation of the National Democratic Alliance led by BJP president Amit Shah and comprising Parkash Singh Badal, Rajnath Singh, Nitish Kumar, Ram Vilas Paswan, Sushma Swaraj, Uddhav Thakeray, Nitin Gadkari, K Palaniswami, Conrad Sangma and Neiphiu Rio, called on the president at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the communique said. A letter stating that Narendra Modi has been elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party was handed over to the president, it said.

An NDA delegation, led by Amit Shah, President, BJP, and comprising Prakash Singh Badal, Rajnath Singh, Nitish Kumar, Ram Vilas Paswan, Sushma Swaraj, Uddhav Thakeray, Nitin Gadkari, K. Palaniswami, Conrad Sangma and Neiphiu Rio, called on the President pic.twitter.com/DaWfDOoEsC

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) May 25, 2019

"Letters of support from NDA constituent parties were also handed over to the president," the communique said. The outgoing Union council of ministers had tendered its resignation on Friday night and Kovind had asked Modi to continue as caretaker PM. After the NDA returned to power with a massive majority, Modi becoming the prime minister again was a foregone conclusion. WATCH FULL SPEECH: We will now begin a new journey to build a new India, says Modi