Narendra Modi, leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will be sworn in as India’s Prime Minister for a record-equalling third term on Sunday.
On Wednesday, Mr Modi submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, and the parliament was dissolved, a formal step before a new prime minister and MPs are sworn in.
On Tuesday, a BJP-led coalition, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), won the general elections with 293 seats. The BJP itself won 240 seats falling significantly short of the landslide exit polls had predicted.
However, with two key BJP allies, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), winning a combined 28 seats in their states, it pushed the NDA comfortably over the halfway mark.
There were speculations that the opposition alliance, which secured 234 seats, might approach the TDP and JD(U) to enter a deal and stake a claim to form the government.
However, Friday’s announcement by the BJP has thawed that speculation.
It is expected that the coalition will announce the names of ministers and assign key portfolios after senior officials of the NDA met in the capital, Delhi.