Chennai: With only one contestant from the AIADMK alliance winning in the general elections from Tamilnadu, speculation is rife that Theni MP Raveendranath Kumar, son of Deputy Chief Minister and AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam, will find a place in the Central Cabinet to be formed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a few days.
At the same time, while confirming that a ministerial berth will be offered to the AIADMK by the BJP, sources also said the party’s Rajya Sabha MP, Vaithilingam, would be given a place in the Central Cabinet.
A decision on this is likely to be made after the BJP’s meeting with its alliance parties in New Delhi this evening.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, the joint coordinator of the AIADMK, Panneerselvam and Raveendranath Kumar left for Delhi to take part in the meeting to be held at Parliament’s Central Hall at 5 pm.
Raveendranath stemmed the DMK tide and won the election with 5,03,459 votes leaving behind Congress’ E V K S Elangovan, who secured 4,25,785 votes. Earlier today, Raveendranath called on Palaniswami at his Greenways Road residence in Chennai and sought his wishes.
STAGE SET
The stage is all set for the 17th Lok Sabha. In the meeting later today, Modi is expected to be formally elected as leader of the NDA, allowing him to approach President Ram Nath Kovind to stake claim to form the government.
Sources said Modi’s swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place 30 May at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The 17th Lok Sabha has to be constituted before 3 June. The process to form a new House will be initiated when the three Election Commissioners meet the President in the next few days to hand over the list of newly-elected members.
The Union Cabinet met Friday at the Prime Minister’s Office on Raisina Hill in New Delhi during which a resolution was passed to dissolve the 16th Lok Sabha, which was constituted 18 May 2014. It was immediately followed by a Union Council of Ministers meeting at Parliament Annexe building.
From here, Narendra Modi drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan and tendered his resignation to Ram Nath Kovind, along with that of his Union Council of Ministers.
A press communique from the President’s House later read, ‘The President has accepted the resignation and requested Modi and the Council of Ministers to continue till the new government assumes office. In the evening, President Kovind hosted the entire outgoing Union Council of Ministers for dinner.
(With inputs from Agencies)