Vajpayee tenders resignation

Following the National Democratic Alliance's defeat in the Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Thursday evening called on President A P J Abdul Kalam and submitted his resignation.

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The President has accepted the resignation and requested Vajpayee and his colleagues to "continue in office till alternative arrangements are made", a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué said.

Vajpayee, who was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani, drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan following a two-hour Cabinet meeting.

They were with the President for 15 minutes.