Congress chose Manmohan Singh as PM again
NEW DELHI — Newly elected Congress lawmakers formally chose Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as their leader for a second term Tuesday, clearing the way for the swearing in of his new government this week.
Sonia Gandhi, the Congress party chief, proposed Singh’s name, and lawmakers approved it without a vote amid clapping and the thumping of desks, said party spokesman Janardhan Dwivedy.
Singh is expected to meet President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday to set a date for his swearing in. The president administers the oath of office to the new prime minister and Cabinet ministers.
The Congress-led coalition captured 261 seats in India’s 543-seat Parliament, far more than most analysts predicted, but still 11 short of a majority.
On Tuesday, two key regional parties — Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party, which together will control 43 seats — offered to support Singh’s government.
Congress has governed for nearly 50 years of modern India’s 61 years of independence.