New Delhi: Scenes of great camaraderie and warm emotions were witnessed in the Central Hall of Parliament on Tuesday as prime minister-designate Narendra Modi entered it for the first time accompanied by other NDA members who had gathered to elect him as their leader. Emotions ran high in the BJP camp and party veteran LK Advani had tears in his eyes, as did prime minister-elect Modi, even as the other leaders celebrated the party's highest-ever tally since its inception. As he was about to step foot inside Parliament, Modi bowed and touched with his forehead the stairs at the portal in a mark of respect for the "temple of democracy". He later hailed it for elevating a common man like him to the highest post in the country. Clad in his trademark kurta-pyjama with full sleeves and a vest-jacket, Modi was greeted by all and sundry.

Marking the arrival of a new era in Indian politics, Modi was on Tuesday appointed Prime Minister, who said the elections have kindled a "new hope and aspiration" among the common man for whom he dedicated his government. President Pranab Mukherjee handed over to him the letter appointing him as the Prime Minister and he will be sworn-in on May 26 at 6 PM. The appointment came after the 63-year-old Gujarat Chief Minister was unanimously elected leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party as well as that of NDA in a meeting that was punctuated by outpouring of emotions by "strongman" Modi who broke down for a moment.

Thanking the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for taking the party to such heights, Advani turned emotional as he said that this historic day had come in his life due to Modi. Moved by Advani's remarks, Modi too had tears in his eyes as he said in a choked voice, "Advaniji ne ek shabd kahaa aur mai Advaniji se prarthna karunga ki woh iss shabd ka istmaal na kare. Unhone kaha ki Narendra-bhai ne kripa ki. Kya maa ki seva kabhi kripa ho sakti hai? Katay nahin ho sakti hai. "Jaise bharat meri maa hai waise hi BJP bhi meri maa hai. Aur isliye beta kabhi maa per kripa nahin karta, sirf samarpit bhav se maa ki sewa karta hai (Advaniji said that I have done a favour to BJP. Like India, BJP is also my mother. Can serving the mother be a favour? Not at all. A son is only dedicated to serving the mother)."

Party patriarch L K Advani, who had opposed projection of Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate, proposed his name for the leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party which was seconded by a number of leaders including Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari. His election was received by thumping of desks in the historic Central Hall of Parliament, which reverberated to the cries of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'.