Indian PM invites all parties to support new government
 

INDIA: With firm backing of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday invited all political parties to support a secular new government to be formed in coming days. "I invite all political parties to support the secular government.

We should stand together," Manmohan Singh said emerging out of Sonia Gandhi's residence after getting a massive verdict for the Congress. The Congress and its United Progressive Alliance have won a sweeping victory in India's general elections by grasping more than 260 seats out of 543. "I urge all the political parties to forget their past disputes and help the formation of a secular government. We should stand one as a nation," he said.

A beaming Manmohan Singh said, "We have an obligation to the people of India to provide a stable and secular government and we will fulfill it.

He thanked the country for voting his party again to power.he people for reposing their faith in the Congress party.

Essentially, the people of India know what is good for them and they always make the right choice," he said."

Once again our gratitude to voters.... we have made certain promises in our manifesto in the CMP (Common Minimum Program) and we would work hard to fulfill those promises," the prime minister said.

New Delhi, Sunday, Xinhua