 "PM Manmohan Singh and his Cabinet resign")
As prime minister (PM)-in-waiting Narendra Modi arrived in the capital on Saturday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government left office. Singh served two continuous terms as PM. He was the only one to do so after first PM Jawaharlal Nehru's 17 years. He gave his resignation to President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday afternoon.
Mukherjee requested him and his ministers to continue till the new government was formed.
At 10 am on Saturday, Singh, in a televised address to the nation, thanked the people and welcomed the new government to office. Paying a tribute to the Indian democratic system, in which he, "an underprivileged child of Partition, was empowered enough to rise and occupy high office," Singh said his "life and tenure in public office (ten years) were an open book." He signed off saying "India (today) was a far stronger country in every respect than a decade ago."
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia resigned on Saturday. Member B K Chaturvedi put in his resignation. Others will be resigning shortly.
Mukherjee requested him and his ministers to continue till the new government was formed.
At 10 am on Saturday, Singh, in a televised address to the nation, thanked the people and welcomed the new government to office. Paying a tribute to the Indian democratic system, in which he, "an underprivileged child of Partition, was empowered enough to rise and occupy high office," Singh said his "life and tenure in public office (ten years) were an open book." He signed off saying "India (today) was a far stronger country in every respect than a decade ago."
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Soon after, the cabinet met for the last time and recommended the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha. It passed a resolution lauding the role of Singh.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia resigned on Saturday. Member B K Chaturvedi put in his resignation. Others will be resigning shortly.