Following is the text of the letter given by President Pratibha Patil to Manmohan Singh appointing him as the prime minister:
Dear Dr Manmohan Singhji,
My heartiest felicitations to you on being chosen as the Leader of the Congress Parliamentary Party.
Having regard to the fact that you head the single largest party and the largest pre-election alliance and taking note of the letters of support enabling you to command majority support of the newly constituted 15th Lok Sabha, I have the pleasure to appoint you the prime minister and request you to advice me as to the names of others to be appointed in the Council of Ministers.
I propose to administer the oath of office and secrecy on Friday, May 22, 2009, at Rashtrapati Bhavan at a mutually convenient time.
With regards,
Yours sincerely,
Pratibha Devisingh Patil