Manmohan Singh appointed PM

President Pratibha Patil has appointed Manmohan Singh prime minister for a second consecutive term, after the UPA coalition staked its claim to form the govt. The new ministry will be sworn in on May 22.

Apparently in view of the comfortable numbers the coalition has in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the president has not asked the prime minister to prove his strength in the house.

"I have pleasure to appoint you the prime minister and request you to advise me on the names of the others to be appointed to the council of ministers.

"I propose to administer the oath of office and secrecy to you on Friday, 22nd May 2009 at the Rashtrapati Bhawan at a mutually convenient time," President Pratibha Patil said in her letter handed over to Singh when he called on her along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

Reading out the president's letter, Singh said "you will come to know in due course of time" when asked whether MPs outside the pre-poll allies would included in the new ministry.

Manmohan Singh said the coalition has 274 members including four independents who are part of the Congress-led pre-poll alliance.

"We have the support of SP, BSP and RJD whose number adds up to another 48. All this adds up to 322," he said.

Asked about details of composition of the ministry, Singh said "we will talk in greater detail later."

Earlier in the day, the crucial UPA meet to decide Cabinet berths was held at 10 Janpath, the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. All the key pre-poll partners of the Congress attended the meeting.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, DMK chief M Karunanidhi, NCP president Sharad Pawar and leader Praful Patel were present, along with senior Congress leaders, including Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram and A K Antony besides Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.