Manmohan Singh re-elected Cong Parliamentary Party leader

Manmohan Singh on Tuesday has been renominated as Congress Parliamentary Party leader by party chief Sonia Gandhi to head the new government.

Sonia Gandhi has been re-elected as the chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party.

Gandhi named 76-year-old Singh as the CPP leader to lead the government at a CPP meeting in the Central Hall of Parliament and this was unanimously approved by the members amid thumping of desks.

Fresh from the spectacular victory in the Lok Sabha polls, the meeting saw Gandhi, who was re-elected the CPP chairperson, telling Congress workers to put the party before self, remain disciplined and united to emerge even stronger in the future.

"The people's verdict tells us that above all else they crave honest and capable governance and decency in public life. We must not disappoint them," Gandhi said.

In his acceptance speech, Singh said the "impressive mandate" came with "the challenge of rising expectations".

"The youth of India, inspired by the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, have voted in large numbers for our party. But it is in the nature of the youth to be impatient. They will not tolerate business as usual. They expect us to work with renewed energy," he said.

The Prime Minister also sought to reach out to the opposition parties. With the disruptions in the 14th Lok Sabha, apparently weighing heavily on his mind, the Prime Minister hoped that the 15th Lok Sabha will witness "a more cooperative atmosphere and more productive proceedings."

"We will extend a hand of friendship to members of all political parties, cutting across the political spectrum and invite them to play the role of a constructive opposition," Singh said.

Earlier citing a relevant clause of the constitution of the CPP, Gandhi named Singh as the party's leader in the Lok Sabha and urged members to support him.

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