The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance will meet President Droupadi Murmu later today – ‘immediately’ after a huddle at Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s residence to review the election result – to stake claim to form the new government, sources have told NDTV.
In a show of strength made significant by the underwhelming margin of the BJP’s victory, the meeting with Ms Murmu will be attended by the party’s senior-most leaders.
This, of course, includes Mr Modi, who is set for a historic third term as PM, and Amit Shah, his right-hand man and the outgoing Home Minister, as also party boss JP Nadda.
It will also include TDP boss N Chandrababu Naidu and the Janata Dal’s Nitish Kumar.
Mr Naidu’s TDP won 28 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh (and a simultaneous Assembly election to return as Chief Minister) and Nitish Kumar’s JDU picked up 16 seats in Bihar.
Their 28 MPs are widely seen as propping up Mr Modi and the BJP in its quest to form a third successive union government, or risk conceding ground to the Congress-led INDIA bloc.
Mr Modi and the BJP are well-aware of their importance to the NDA; the Prime Minister made special mention to the TDP and JDU bosses during his victory speech Tuesday night.
And amid persistent speculation the two could be poached by the Congress-led INDIA bloc (which the Bihar leader helped found), the optics of PM Modi flanked by Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar as he submits his government formation bid would be strong.
Sources have said Mr 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 Mr 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, 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.”
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