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| Manmohan elected Congress Parliamentary Party leader | | | AGENCIES
New Delhi, May 19: Dr Manmohan Singh was on Tuesday elected as the Congress Parliamentary Party leader. At the meeting of newly elected Congress MPs held at Parliament's central hall, Singh's name was proposed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Gandhi was also elected chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP). Her name was proposed by senior Karnataka leader Mallikarjun Kharge.
With Dr Singh being nominated as the party’s leader and its prime ministerial candidate, the ball has been set rolling for formation of new government. The CPP also endorsed Dr Manmohan as the leader of Rajya Sabha, while Pranab Mukherjee has been given the charge of the Lok Sabha.
Now, as per the protocol, senior Congress leaders will meet the President and apprise her of the nomination of Manmohan Singh as its parliamentary party leader.
Dr Manmohan Singh will then formally stake claim for government formation and the President then would invite him to form the next UPA government.
The sources close to the party have revealed that Congress, with 205 MPS, is likely to have a lion’s share in the new government by retaining as many as 60 Cabinet berths and keeping all top portfolios. The rest 20 cabinet berths will be distributed among the Trinamool Congress, DMK, NCP and one berth could also be given to the National Conference.
Meanwhile, P Chidambaram is believed to be keeping the Home Ministry with him while Pranab has expressed his keenness for the Finance portfolio. Kapil Sibbal is now tipped to be taking charge of the Human Resources Department.
Speculations doing the round also suggest that Rahul Gandhi may be inducted into the new Cabinet as minister without portfolio. Besides, the Congress leadership has also convened a meeting of the UPA on May 20 in which all pre-poll alliance partners have been invited.
Giving more details about the proceedings of the UPA meetings, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said, “The discussion about the next step (government formation) will be taken after the UPA meeting."
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on Monday submitted the resignation of the Council of Ministers headed by him to President Pratibha Patil, who asked him to continue till a new government is formed.
The resignation by the PM came soon after the meeting of the Union Cabinet which decided to recommend to the President dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister the drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit the resignation of his Council of Ministers.
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