The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will meet President Droupadi Murmu later on Tuesday to stake claim to form the new government, following a review of the election results at Narendra Modi’s residence. This significant meeting, marked by the underwhelming margin of the BJP’s victory, will be attended by the party’s senior-most leaders and top NDA figures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is set for a historic third term, will be present, along with his right-hand man and outgoing Home Minister Amit Shah, and BJP president JP Nadda. The meeting will also include TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar.
Naidu’s TDP secured 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh, while Kumar’s JDU won 12 seats in Bihar. Their 28 MPs are seen as crucial for Modi and the BJP in forming a third consecutive union government, potentially preventing the Congress-led INDIA bloc from gaining ground.
Modi acknowledged the importance of Naidu and Kumar in his victory speech on Tuesday night, amid speculation that the two leaders could be wooed by the Congress-led opposition. The optics of Modi flanked by Naidu and Kumar as he submits his bid to form the government will be significant.
Sources indicate that Naidu and Kumar, both seasoned in coalition politics, are being courted by the Congress. While neither leader has revealed their intentions, demands for special status for their states and key ministerial positions are reportedly on the table.
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On Tuesday, the INDIA bloc defied exit poll predictions to mount a substantial challenge to the BJP, achieving a first since the ‘Modi wave’ of 2014. The opposition alliance ended with 232 seats, 40 short of the majority mark.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and other INDIA leaders have been cautious about reaching out to Naidu and Kumar, but sources suggest the intent is there. The Congress recorded its best performance since 2009, winning 99 seats, a significant increase from 52 seats in 2019 and 44 in 2014.
Earlier, Modi met President Murmu to submit his resignation ahead of the dissolution of the current government on June 16. He was asked to continue until a new government is appointed. This morning, Modi chaired the final cabinet meeting of his second term, downplaying concerns over the party’s performance. “Winning and losing are part of politics… We have done good work for the last 10 years. We will continue doing so,” he said.
Addressing a crowd at the BJP’s Delhi headquarters late Tuesday, Modi expressed gratitude to the people of India for placing their faith in the NDA for a third time. “I bow to the people for this affection and assure them we will continue the good work done in the last decade to keep fulfilling aspirations,” he said.
The NDA and the INDIA bloc are now strategizing their next moves in Delhi, with both sides keenly aware of the high stakes and the potential shifts in political alliances.
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