India’s president invites Modi to head new coalition government, swearing-in on Sunday | U.S. & World [Video]

By Sarita Chaganti Singh, Shivam Patel, Nigam Prusty

NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that President Droupadi Murmu had invited him to form a government, as he promised his new coalition of 15 parties would strive for unanimity and emerge successful.

Modi’s comments came after he met Murmu and accepted her invitation to head the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)coalition government and run the world’s most populous nation for the next five years.

He said the new government would be sworn in on Sunday evening, which would make him prime minister for a historic third consecutive term.

“I want to assure the people of the country that in the 18th Lok Sabha (lower house) also…we will work with the same pace, same commitment to fulfil aspirations of the people,” he told reporters outside the president’s palace.

It is the first time in a decade that his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – which won majorities …