Modi to take oath as Indian PM on June 8

NEW DELHI:  Narendra Modi is expected to take oath as the Indian Prime Minister for the third time on June 8 with the help of the coalition partners of the National Democratic Alliance, Indian TV reports said on Wednesday.

Narendra Modi met with President Droupadi Murmu earlier today and tendered his resignation, ahead of the ceremony on Saturday.

“The President has accepted the resignation and requested Narendra Modi and the Council of Ministers to continue till the new Government assumes office,” read a press release from the President’s office.

Modi set for a record third term but with much smaller majority

The development follows a day after Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party failed to secure the 272 majority mark in the Lok Sabha election result announced on Tuesday. The results showed that the BJP, which won 303 seats last time, was way off the magic number at 240 seats.

Overall, the BJP-led coalition has 292 seats as of now, while the Congress-led Opposition has 234 seats. With the humbling verdict for the BJP, NDA partners Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu have emerged as the “kingmakers” in the deal as their victories in Bihar (12) and Andhra Pradesh (16) will decide the future course for the 18th Lok Sabha.

The incumbent Modi government also held its final cabinet meeting earlier today, recommending the dissolution of parliament, a constitutional formality before Modi can form a new government.