New Delhi- The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance – which won 293 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election to push past the majority mark of 272 – will form the new government Saturday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take oath for a third time, and in so doing, become the first (and only) three-term leader of the country since Congress stalwart Jawaharlal Nehru. Modi met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi to submit his resignation, and that of his cabinet. He was then requested to continue in his role till the swearing-in.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party – which claimed 282 seats in 2014 and 303 in the 2019 election won 240 seats this time – 32 short of the 272-majority mark. It now relies on the 53 seats won by members of the party-led National Democratic Alliance to seal a third term.
Earlier today NDA leaders met at Modi’s residence to review the election result and discuss government formation, after which a delegation of senior figures from the BJP and its NDA partners was supposed to meet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan to stake claim to power.
That delegation was to include Telugu Desam Party boss Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal leader Nitish Kumar, whose combined 28 seats are needed to ensure the BJP’s coalition stays above water.
Naidu’s TDP won 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh (and a simultaneous Assembly election to return as Chief Minister) and Nitish Kumar’s JDU picked up 12 seats in Bihar.
There has been speculation Naidu and Nitish Kumar could be approached by the opposition INDIA bloc, which finished with 232 seats (40 shy of majority) and is exploring a government formation bid.
To offset that, the BJP has secured written letters of support from the TDP and JDU bosses.
Modi and the BJP are well-aware of their importance to the NDA; he made special mention of the TDP and JDU bosses during his victory speech Tuesday night at the party HQ in Delhi.
As early as Tuesday evening, when it became clear the BJP would not be able to form the government on its own, sources had said Naidu and Nitish Kumar – veteran leaders well-versed in the art of coalition politics – could be courted by the Congress in a bid to stake claim itself.
Neither has revealed their hand so far, but sources have said a variety of ‘demands’, including special status for their states and a pick of ministerial berths are on the table.
On Tuesday the INDIA bloc defied exit pollsters to mount a real challenge to the BJP in a national election – a first since the ‘Modi wave’ swept it to power in 2014.
The opposition alliance finished with 232 seats – 40 short of the 272-majority mark.
INDIA leaders, including Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge, have been coy about reaching out to either Naidu or Nitish Kumar, but the intent is there, sources have said.
The Congress produced its best performance since 2009 to win 99 seats. In 2019 the party won only 52 seats (and Rahul Gandhi quit as boss), while it managed just 44 in 2014.
Meanwhile, earlier Modi met President Murmu to resign ahead of the dissolution of this government on June 16. Modi was asked to continue till a new government is appointed.
This morning, he chaired the final cabinet meet of his second term, and downplayed any raised eyebrows over his 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.”
Addressing an adoring crowd at the party’s Delhi HQ late Tuesday, Modi said the people of India had “placed 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..”
NDA Elects Modi As Alliance Leader
Earlier leaders of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance unanimously elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the ruling bloc’s leader on Wednesday, passing a resolution to underscore the government’s commitment to serving the poor, women, youths, farmers and deprived sections of society.
They met at Modi’s residence here a day after the NDA won a majority of seats in the Lok Sabha election, paving the way for him to take the oath for a third consecutive term, a first for any ruling alliance since 1962.
TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, LJP(R) leader Chirag Paswan and NCP leader Praful Patel were among those who attended the meeting.
The resolution said the NDA government will continue working to lift people’s living standards for the country’s all-round development while conserving its heritage.
“We are all proud that the NDA fought the 2024 Lok Sabha polls unitedly under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and won. We all NDA leaders unanimously elect Narendra Modi as our leader,” it added.
The resolution also said that people have seen the country being developed in every sector in the last 10 years due to the pro-people policies of the NDA government under Modi.
Modi is set for a record-equalling third term at the helm, though the new government is likely to be different in composition and character with a bigger share for the BJP’s allies.
While the NDA is comfortably above the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the BJP, which won 240 seats, has fallen short of the magic number for the first time since 2014 and is critically dependent on its allies.
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