In a meeting held this morning the cabinet took a decision to recommend to the president the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha with immediate effect.
"I have given a note to the President the decision of the cabinet to dissolve the 15th Lok Sabha. The process will now depend on when the Election Commission sends to the President the notification of the elected members. Once the president receives the list from the Election Commission of the elected members, the president will take an appropriate decision," Congress leader Kamal Nath said this to the press.
Earlier, prime minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh met President Pranab Mukherjee in his spacious office and offered the latter a bouquet of flowers. The President reciprocated the gesture, and both sat down for a brief discussion. Dr. Singh then submitted his resignation and President Mukherjee asked him to carry-on in a caretaking capacity till his successor is announced and comes forward to take over.
On Friday, Dr. Singh congratulated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi over his party's win in the Lok Sabha elections.
The BJP-led NDA secured an absolute majority in elections for the 16th Lok Sabha by claiming 337 seats. Of these, the BJP won in 283 seats. Among the other 15 parties in the coalition, only the SHS (19 seats) and the TDP (16) managed to achieve double digit figures.
In contrast, the ruling UPA could manage to win only 58 seats. Of these, the Congress won 43, its worst electoral performance since 1977. The remaining nine members of the ruling coalition could manage only single digit results, with the NCP coming second with five seats, and the RJD with four.
Friday's result was the largest anti-incumbency vote in India's history. It was driven by a desire for change and anger against corruption and the sluggish economy fanned directly or indirectly by the Congress-led UPA regime, which was in power for a decade.
It also represented the people's hope for a better India under BJP prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi.