Atal invited to form govt
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 11 — Satisfied with the claim of the National Democratic Alliance that it commanded the support of 303 MPs, including 29 belonging to the Telugu Desam Party, for the alliance, the President, Mr K.R. Narayanan, today invited its leader, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee of the BJP, to form the next government.

"Mr Vajpayee will be administered the oath of office and secrecy at Rashtrapati Bhavan at 10.30 a.m. on October 13", the President’s Secretariat said in a communiqué later.

A visibly relaxed Mr Vajpayee, who was conveyed the President’s decision during a 40-minute meeting with Mr Narayanan, later told newspersons that he would have a two-tier ministry that would be neither "too big nor too small". He said the names of the would-be ministers would be forwarded to the President by tomorrow evening.

The 73-year-old Mr Vajpayee, who will be sworn-in as Prime Minister for the third term in office on Wednesday, when asked if he was facing any pressure in forming the Cabinet, said as of now there was no pressure from any supporting parties.

Saying that the country was heading towards the 21st century and this posed a great challenge, the Prime Minister added, "We are determined to face it".

He said his government would continue with reforms and implement second generation economic reforms to take the country into the next century.

On the hard decisions, about which he spoke at the meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Party yesterday, the Prime Minister said these need not be announced immediately.

Shortly after appointing Mr Vajpayee as Prime Minister, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué said: "The election results conveyed to the President by the Election Commission of India and the documents expressing support to Mr Vajpayee received by the President have satisfied him that Mr Vajpayee will command a majority in the newly-elected House".

Referring to the notification issued by the Election Commission containing the list of new MPs, the communiqué said according to these results, the BJP emerges as the single largest party in the House.

"It is also seen therefrom that MPs adhering to the National Democratic Alliance form the largest political group in it."

Confirming that Mr Narayanan had received earlier the copies of communications from the TDP and the Trinamool Congress supporting the formation of a government led by Mr Vajpayee, the communiqué further said that while the BJP President, Mr Kushabhau Thakre, had informed the President that Mr Vajpayee had been elected leader of the BJP in Parliament yesterday, NDA leaders had met him this morning and submitted a copy of the resolution unanimously reposing faith in Mr Vajpayee’s leadership.

Quoting Article 75 (3) of the Constitution which stipulates that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House, the communiqué said "this requires that the person appointed by the President to be Prime Minister should enjoy the confidence of the majority of its members."

It said "under the circumstances, the President has been pleased to appoint Mr Vajpayee as Prime Minister. Mr Vajpayee has also been requested by the President to advise him on the names of others to be appointed as members of his Council of Ministers".

"Under the circumstances, the President has been pleased to appoint Atal Behari Vajpayee as Prime Minister", the communiqué said.

Mr Vajpayee’s meeting with the President at 12.30 p.m. today was preceded by a meeting of a NDA delegation with Mr Narayanan at 11.30 a.m.

The delegation led by the NDA Convenor, Mr George Fernandes, during its 20 minute meeting with Mr Narayanan, submitted to the President a list of 274 members of Parliament in support of its claim to form a government led by Mr Vajpayee.

Apart from the 274 members of the NDA, including 182 members of the BJP, the BJD (10), the DMK (12), the INLD (5), the JD (U) (20), the MDMK (4), the Manipur Congress Party (one), the National Conference (4), the Shiromani Akali Dal (2), the Shiv Sena (15), the SDF (1), the Trinamool Congress (8), the Loktantrik Congress (2), the MNF (1), the PMK (5), the MGR ADMK (1) and the Himachal Vikas Congress (1), Mr Fernandes informed the President that the alliance was being supported by the Telugu Desam, which had 29 members. The TDP had earlier conveyed to the President through a letter that it has decided to support a NDA government.

The delegation also informed the President that the constituents of the NDA had unanimously elected Mr Vajpayee leader of the alliance.

The letter also pledged the support of all the constituents to the formation of a NDA government under the leadership of Mr Vajpayee.

Mr Fernandes told reporters after the meeting that the President said it was a clear verdict and that he was happy with the elections.

The joint delegation comprised Mr L.K. Advani (BJP), Mr Parkash Singh Badal (SAD), Mr Murasoli Maran (DMK), Mr Om Prakash Chautala (INLD), Mr Suresh Prabhu (Shiv Sena), Mr Vaiko (MDMK), Mr Navin Patnaik (BJD), Dr S.Ramdoss (PMK), Mr Ajit Panja (Trinamool Congress), Mr Sharif-ud-Din Shariq (National Conference) and Mr Chauba Singh (Manipur State Congress).

Meanwhile the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan is being spruced up for the swearing-in ceremony of the Vajpayee-led government on Wednesday.

With almost all newly elected members of the Lok Sabha expected to attend the ceremony, apart from diplomats, senior government officials, former Prime Ministers and family members of the would-be Ministers, the sprawling forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan has been chosen as the venue of the ceremony to accommodate the anticipated large crowd.

The majestic brass guns at the bottom of the large flight of stairs leading to Rashtrapati Bhavan are being given a fresh dose of polish to make them sparkle for the occasion.

An operation cleaning up has been launched at the proposed site.

Work is on to erect a huge podium from where the Council of Ministers would be administered the oaths of office and secrecy.