New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) : President Pratibha Patil Monday dissolved the 14th Lok Sabha on the recommendation of the outgoing cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In an official communiqué released by the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, the president signed an order dissolving the Lok Sabha thus paving the way for the formation of the next government.   

Earlier, Manmohan Singh met the President and submitted the resignations of the members of his council of ministers. Manmohan Singh, who also formally stepped down as prime minister, was asked to continue as the head of a caretaker government.     

President Patil, who hosts a dinner for the outgoing cabinet later in the evening, will invite Manmohan Singh to form the next government Tuesday.   

The tally of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rose to 263 with the independent MP from Ladakh joining the National Conference, which is part of the UPA.    

Now the UPA is nine short of the magic halfway mark of 272 seats needed for majority in the 545-member house, of which 543 are elected.   

At the final cabinet meeting at the prime minister's 7, Race Course Road residence, where the ministers submitted their resignations, a resolution of appreciation for Manmohan Singh was passed. 

Advani to Continue as Leader of Opposition: Rajnath
 
New Delhi, May 18 (IANS): BJP leader L.K. Advani will continue as the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, party president Rajnath Singh said Monday, ending speculations on the veteran's role following the party's electoral debacle.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha elections. It needs to rebuild itself to meet the challenges of the future. At this point Advani agreed not to persist with his suggestion (of stepping down)," Rajnath Singh said.  

On Monday, the BJP held a meeting of its parliamentary board, general secretaries and the chief ministers of states ruled by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which it leads.  

Rajnath Singh told the leaders that Advani's leadership and guidance was needed and he has been requested to continue as the leader of the party in the 15th Lok Sabha.  

Advani, 81, insisted at a meeting of the BJP parliamentary board Saturday evening that a new leader be elected after the NDA came a distant second to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) in the general elections.   

However, the parliamentary board refused to heed his suggestion. It was then decided that the BJP president would discuss the issue with Advani and convince him to reconsider his views.  

Karunanidhi to meet Sonia Gandhi Tuesday to discuss cabinet berth

Chennai, May 18 (IANS):  DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi will meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi Tuesday to discuss the formation of the next government at the centre and giving ministerial berths to his party MPs.

The DMK's executive council met here Monday and authorized Karunanidhi to decide on the party's stand on joining the next ministry at the centre.

The council also elected T.R. Baalu as DMK's parliamentary party leader.   

The council passed a resolution asking the central government to get the Sri Lankan Tamil problem resolved through dialogue.   

Congratulating Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for the UPA's victory, the council also praised M.K. Stalin, M.K. Azhagiri and Kanimozhi for ensuring the DMK combine's victory in the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu.   

Later, addressing reporters, Karunanidhi said: "We are yet to think about being part of the central cabinet. I will be meeting Sonia Gandhi tomorrow."   

Answering questions on the Sri Lankan Tamil's issue, he said: "Fifty years ago the Tamil's freedom movement in Sri Lanka started.  Today, the focus is on the safety and peaceful existence of the Tamils there. The DMK is fighting for Tamils enjoying equal political rights with the Sinhalese there."   

He declined to comment on the crowning of his son, Stalin, as the chief minister in near future.   

Asked about the possibility of sharing power with the Congress at the state level, Karunanidhi was non-committal and said: "If Delhi (Congress leadership) asks, we will consider such a request."   

Queried about the Sethusamudram canal project, Karunanidhi said that the new government will complete it.   

Taking a dig at opposition leaders, he thanked them for defaming him at election rallies which, in turn, made people vote for the DMK combine in large numbers.

JD-U remains NDA partner: Nitish

Patna, May 18 (IANS) : Putting all speculations to rest, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday said his party had no intention of joining the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

Nitish Kumar asserted that the JD-U continues to part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).   

"We will not join the UPA or any other alliance," Kumar told the media here amid rumours that JD-U was inching closer to UPA.   

"We were in the NDA, we are part of the NDA and we will remain with the NDA," he said.    

The JD-U leader Friday, a day before the Lok Sabha election results were announced, said he was ready to support any alliance at the centre that gives Bihar a special status for development.   

"We will support whichever party gives Bihar a special status. That will be the basis of our support," he said at a book launch here.   

The BJP-JD-U combine swept the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar winning 32 of the 40 seats. The JD-U got 20 and the BJP 12.   

Nitish Kumar said the mandate of Bihar voters was in favour of the JD-U and the BJP and people preferred development over the caste factor that used to decide the polls outcome in the past.   

"People voted for good governance, development and peace," he said.