Narendra Modi will be sworn in as prime minister for a historic third consecutive term on Saturday, and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, which gained 293 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha election to surge above the majority mark of 272, will establish the new government, according to reports.
Mr. Modi was praised for his “leadership” and the “strides our nation has made under him” after being unanimously selected to lead the alliance this afternoon. They also valued his diligence and contributions to the development of the country. The NDA partners stated that they are still partners in achieving Mr. Modi’s vision for “Viksit Bharat.” They praised him for elevating India’s standing internationally.
Following a meeting of senior BJP and NDA officials at Mr. Modi’s residence earlier today to examine the election results and talk about government formation, a delegation was scheduled to see President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan to lay claim to power.
Leaders of the Telugu Desam Party Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal Nitish Kumar were to be part of the trip. The BJP’s coalition needs their combined 28 seats to remain afloat.
In addition to winning a concurrent Assembly election to reclaim the Chief Ministership, Mr. Naidu’s TDP secured 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh. In Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s JDU secured 12 seats.
There have been rumours that the opposition INDIA alliance, which finished with 232 seats (40 short of a majority) and is considering a move for government formation, may approach Mr. Naidu and Nitish Kumar.
To offset that, the BJP has secured written letters of support from the TDP and JDU bosses.
The leaders of the TDP and JDU are important to Mr. Modi and the BJP; he specifically mentioned them in his victory speech on Tuesday night at the party headquarters in Delhi.
Sources had stated that the Congress may pursue Mr. Naidu and Nitish Kumar, two seasoned politicians skilled in coalition politics, as early as Tuesday night, when it became certain the BJP would not be able to form the government on its own.
Although neither has shown their cards yet, rumours have it that they are considering a number of “demands,” such as special status for their states and the ability to choose which ministerial vacancies to accept.
In a national election on Tuesday, the INDIA alliance defied exit pollsters to present the BJP with a serious challenge—the first since the ‘Modi wave’ propelled it to power in 2014.
With 232 seats, the opposition alliance fell 40 seats shy of a 272-majority threshold.
Leaders in India, such as Mallikarjun Kharge, the head of the Congress, have been reticent to approach Mr. Naidu or Mr. Nitish Kumar, but there is a purpose, according to insiders.
In order to obtain 99 seats, the Congress gave its best showing since 2009. In 2019 the party won only 52 seats (and Rahul Gandhi quit as boss), while it managed just 44 in 2014.
Meanwhile, hours earlier Mr Modi met Ms Murmu to resign ahead of the dissolution of this government on June 16. Mr 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, Mr 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..”
