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Focus on troubles in neighbourhood

Manmohan identifies immediate challenges, prepares for second stint

PALLAB BHATTACHARYA, New Delhi
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, now preparing for his second term in office, has made it clear that the developments in India's South Asian neighbourhood will be among the subjects high on his agenda.
Addressing a meeting of Congress Working Committee, Singh identified troubles in India's neighbourhood and global economic meltdown as the "immediate challenges" and expressed the confidence that a clear mandate for Congress-led coalition in parliamentary elections would help tackle these challenges "effectively".
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However, Singh did not elaborate on the problems in the neighbourhood but apparently referred to the troubles in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Singh also said the new government will continue with the policies and socioeconomic- development programmes of UPA years besides implementing the promises made in the party manifesto.
"Manmohan Singh said the new government is assuming office in the backdrop of a deep global recession and serious troubles in the immediate neighbourhood. He said he was confident that the clear mandate received by UPA would enable the new government to respond to these two immediate challenges effectively," AICC General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi quoted Singh as saying at the CWC meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Sonia Gandhi asked the party men to build on the momentum of Congress' electoral victory and start working on restoring the party's "historical" role as the natural party for governinglndia.
SINGHRESIGNS
Fulfilling the last formality for beginning a second successive term, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday submitted the resignation of the council of ministers headed by him to President Pratibha Patil.
"The Prime Minister submitted his resignation and that of his council of ministers to the President who asked him to continue till an alternative arrangement is made”, a spokesman of Presidential Palace said.
Earlier this morning, Singh presided a meeting of the outgoing cabinet, which recommended the dissolution of the 14th Lok Sabha so that a new House can be constituted. The President later dissolved the LokSabha.
Manmohan Singh, 76, is set to be elected as the leader of Congress Parliamentary Party at its meeting today paving the way for his becoming the prime minister again. Part)'chief Sonia Gandhi, elected Lok Sabha member from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, will be the CPP Chairperson.
Later, Singh will meet Patil to stake claim to form the government and the president is expected to invite him to form thenewministry.
Congress-led UPA, which won around 261 seats in the parliamentary elections and is short of 11 of the majority mark of 272 in die 545-member Lok Sabha, is reportedly planning to submit letters of support from at least 20 MPs in a bld to obviate the need for seeking a confidence vote In the House.
Congress sources said the new government is likely to be swom in either on May 20 or May 22 as May 21 is the birth anniversary of late Prime Minister RajivGandhi.
ADVAN1 TO CONTI NUE The BJP has persuaded I. K Advani to continue as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha in an apparent move to avoiding a race in the party for the post among its next rung of leaders after the party's defeat in gen-
eralelections.
Eighty-one-year-old Advani, who had decided to step down from the post after his bid for Prime Minister's post failed, was "requested" by the party to stay on in the new Lok Sabha.
BIP president Rajnath Singh said Advani has agreed to continue as Leader of BJP's Parliamentary Board. "Therefore, it is understood that he will also be the leader of the opposi -tion in the Lok Sabha," he said.
Earlier, Advani had a meeting with chief ministers of BJP-ruled states and senior party colleagues to deliberate a strategy to keep the party' relevant in the future as also his continuance as the leader of the opposition after the dismal show in general elections.