My life, my tenure an open book: PM Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh graciously accepted the unanimous verdict of the voters against his Congress party, wished the incoming Narendra Modi government "every success" and expressed confidence about India's future as a "major powerhouse of the evolving global economy," before meeting his cabinet one last time and handing over his decade-old government's resignation to President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday.

Singh, who was the first member of his family to have attended high school and had often stressed that he was a ‘latecomer to politics', invoked his past again in his last address to the nation to reiterate that he tried to do his best for the country and said he respected people's judgment of his government's tenure.

"Ten years ago, when I was entrusted with this responsibility, I entered upon it with diligence as my tool, truth as my beacon and a prayer that I might always do the right thing," Singh said in his emotional farewell speech. "As I have said on many occasions, my life and tenure in public office are an open book. I have always tried to do my best in serving this great nation of ours," the PM said, seeking to distance himself from the corruption scandals that rocked the UPA.

Stating that the just concluded elections have deepened the "foundations of our democratic polity," Singh also credited citizens' hard work for making India "a far stronger country in every respect than it was a decade ago" and stressed the need to "collectively work hard."