Resolution passed for dissolution of 14th LS

The meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh concluded on Monday in New Delhi at PM’s 7 Racecourse Road residence with the resolution passed successfully for the dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha.

During the final Cabinet meeting of the outgoing Lok Sabha the council of minister tendered their resignation to the Prime Minister, and also passed the resolution of appreciation for the Prime Minister.

Later, Congress-led UPA members will meet the President to submit resignation of council of ministers to facilitate the formation of a new government at the Centre, and stake claim for the formation of new government after showing they had required numbers.

Sources said that after the formality of resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today morning, the UPA leaders are meeting here in the evening to decide on the composition of the ministry and on the issue of whether the coalition should take support from outside the grouping, particularly Samajwadi Party (SP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). SP has got the third position in the Lok Sabha with 23 members while RJD has just won the 4 seats.

The newly constituted Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) is expected to hold its first meeting in a day or two to elect its leader. Dr. Singh is most likely to be elected as leader of the CPP by the parliamentarians at a joint meeting of the UPA parties.

Congress, which put up an unparalleled show in the last 25 years, led UPA is short of a dozen seats to reach the magic figure of 272 in the 543-member Parliament. Two of the Lok Sabha members are nominated by the President from Anglo community which reaches its tally to 545 members.

On Sunday, the Congress core group chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and attended by the Prime Minister and other top Congress leaders met to discuss the political situation and issues related to government formation and the possible support to the UPA from like minded parties.

In the first high-level meeting it was discussed whether to take incorporate Independents in the government or the Fourth Front parties like SP and RJD. Both the parties have offered unconditional support to the government.