1/8Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi, the preseumptive prime minister of India and leader of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seeks blessings from his mother, Heeraben, at her residence in Gandhinagar, in the western state of Gujarat, May 16, 2014.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is headed for India’s biggest election victory in the last 30 years, clearing the way for its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to take charge of the world’s largest democracy.
2/8Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi (center), the presumptive prime minister of India, gestures as he arrives to seek blessings from his mother, Heeraben, at her residence in Gandhinagar, May 16, 2014.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is headed for India’s biggest election victory in the last 30 years, clearing the way for its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to take charge of the world’s largest democracy.
3/8A man prepares to sign a board with a picture of Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi, the presumptive prime minister of India and leader of the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), at the BJP headquarters, in New Delhi, May 16, 2014.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is headed for India’s biggest election victory in the last 30 years, clearing the way for its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to take charge of the world’s largest democracy.
4/8Amit Shah, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), throws garlands towards BJP supporters during celebrations after learning of poll results outside the party headquarters, in New Delhi, May 16, 2014.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is headed for India’s biggest election victory in the last 30 years, clearing the way for its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to take charge of the world’s largest democracy.
5/8Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi and her son and vice president of Congress, Rahul Gandhi, leave after addressing a news conference. India's Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, the towering force of Indian politics for much of the last century, faces a fight for its survival, in New Delhi, May 16, 2014.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is headed for India’s biggest election victory in the last 30 years, clearing the way for its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to take charge of the world’s largest democracy.
6/8A policeman stands guard as polling officials carrying electronic voting machines arrive to count votes, in Jammu, May 16, 2014.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is headed for India’s biggest election victory in the last 30 years, clearing the way for its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to take charge of the world’s largest democracy.
7/8A supporter of Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal and Trinamool Congress (TMC) , wears her picture during the celebrations after learning of the early poll results in Kolkata, May 16, 2014.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is headed for India’s biggest election victory in the last 30 years, clearing the way for its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to take charge of the world’s largest democracy.
8/8A supporter of India's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) celebrates after learning of the early poll results outside party headquarters in New Delhi, May 16, 2014.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is headed for India’s biggest election victory in the last 30 years, clearing the way for its prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, to take charge of the world’s largest democracy.
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Outgoing Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has left office after his ruling Indian National Congress party was crushed in parliamentary elections.
In a brief address Saturday, Mr. Singh said all Indians must respect the verdict of voters who handed the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a landslide victory. He said India is a far stronger country than it was a decade ago.
Congress has led India for the past 10 years, but has been hit by a series of high-profile corruption scandals, high inflation and lagging economic growth.
India's prime minister-elect, Narendra Modi was mobbed by flag-waving supporters as he arrived in New Delhi Saturday.
Mr. Modi arrived in the Indian capital from western Gujarat state, which he has governed since 2001.
The long-time opposition leader is now preparing for his five-year term in office after his BJP secured the biggest win by a single party in 30 years.
On Friday, Mr. Modi addressed a crowd of cheering supporters, promising a better economy and vowing his government will take "everyone" in India along.
U.S. President Barack Obama phoned the incoming Indian prime minister Friday and invited him to visit Washington.
India's five-week election wrapped up Monday, with the BJP winning the first one-party majority in parliament in 30 years. That means it can create a government without forming a coalition with regional leaders.
The Election Commission of India says a record 66 percent of the country's 815 million registered voters cast ballots.
Controversy has swirled around Mr. Modi since 2002 when Hindu-Muslim rioting in his state killed more than 1,000 people. But India's Supreme Court cleared Mr. Modi of charges that he incited the violence.
Mr. Modi has since cast himself as an able administrator and decisive leader who has energized the economy of Gujarat and holds the promise of doing the same for the rest of the country.
