President Droupadi Murmu hosts dinner for outgoing Council of Ministers

After the NDA alliance seized a third term in power, Indian President Droupadi Murmu hosted a dinner on Wednesday (June 5) at Rashtrapati Bhavan for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the outgoing council of ministers.

The event also saw the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat among others.

President Murmu's office announced in a post on X social media platform writing, “President Droupadi Murmu hosted a dinner for the outgoing Union Council of Ministers, led by Prime Minister @narendramodi, at Rashtrapati Bhavan."

Murmu has accepted the Cabinet's recommendation to dissolve the 17th Lok Sabha with immediate effect. She signed the order to dissolve the 17th Lok Sabha by exercising the powers granted to her under Sub-clause (b) of Clause (2) of Article 85 of the Constitution.

Earlier in the day, Indian Prime Minister Modi had submitted his resignation to President Murmu, who accepted it and requested that he continue his duties until the new government is established.

"The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, met the President today and tendered his resignation along with the Council of Ministers," read an official statement.

NDA secures majority

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a majority in the 18th Lok Sabha elections by surpassing the 272 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. BJP on its own won 240 seats and hence could not get an outright majority. After PM Modi held a meeting which saw the presence of all of NDA allies as well, he was unanimously elected as the NDA leader.

(With inputs from agencies)