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NDA endorses Modi’s 3rd term as PM amid parleys for berths
NDA seemed set to form govt for 3rd time despite BJP’s relatively weaker showing, even as prospective partners jockeyed behind scenes for plum Cabinet berths.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday unanimously chose Narendra Modi as its leader and passed a resolution in a meeting of 14 allies reposing confidence in his leadership as the 73-year-old appeared set to be sworn in for a third term as Prime Minister on June 8.
A meeting of 21 leaders, including two chief ministers – Bihar’s Nitish Kumar and Maharashtra’s Eknath Shinde – and one chief minister-designate, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu, took place on Wednesday at the PM’s 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence to seal the 15-member coalition.
“Met our valued NDA partners. Ours is an alliance that will further national progress and fulfil regional aspirations. We will serve the 140 crore people of India and work towards building a Viksit Bharat,” Modi posted on X after the meeting.
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The BJP won 240 seats in the general elections whose results were announced on Tuesday evening, stopping well short of the majority mark of 272. The Opposition’s Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) delivered an unexpectedly strong performance in three of India’s biggest states – Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal – to restrict the BJP 130 below its stated pre-poll target of 370.
But on Wednesday, the NDA seemed set to form the government for the third time despite the BJP’s relatively weaker showing even as prospective partners jockeyed behind the scenes for plum Cabinet berths.
With the support of 16 TDP members, two Jana Sena members, 12 Janata Dal (United) members, seven Shiv Sena members and five Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) members, in addition to a number of smaller allies, the NDA has the requisite numbers to form the government.
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Modi called upon President Droupadi Murmu to submit his resignation. The President asked him to continue till a new government assumes office, Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a communique.
In the NDA meeting, the PM told the leaders that a narrative attacking institutions and India’s democracy should not be brooked, said people aware of developments. “He was cordial to the leaders and said the NDA will work together for the betterment of the people. He said there can be narratives targeting him personally but expressed dismay over attempts to run down the democratic functioning of institutions,” said a person privy to the meeting.
Leaders of 14 parties signed the letter of support for the PM’s swearing-in and a meeting of the NDA lawmakers will take place in the Central Hall of the old Parliament Building on Friday. The new Cabinet is expected to be sworn-in a day later at Rashtrapati Bhavan, said a person aware of the matter.
“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, the leaders of the NDA, unanimously elect Narendra Modi as our leader,” said a three-paragraph resolution in Hindi passed at the meeting.
The resolution said that the people saw the country being developed in every sector in the last 10 years due to the pro-people policies of the NDA government under Modi and underlined the government’s commitment to serving the poor, women, youth, farmers and deprived sections of society.
Discussions at the meeting on Wednesday were cordial with members hailing the leadership of the PM and the NDA’s victory in the Lok Sabha polls. Contentious issues of berth allocation and roles for the leaders were off the table, said a person aware of the matter.
“There was no discussion on the Cabinet formation, no negotiations. Nitish Kumar said since the election was long and spread over seven phases, the process of government formation should be expedited,” said a member privy to the details.
TDP chief Naidu, who will be sworn in as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh after scripting a spectacular comeback, hailed the PM’s “leadership”.
“He said the NDA members contested under his leadership and winning the election third time in a row is not an ordinary event...he said the swearing-in ceremony should be a grand affair,” the person quoted above said, requesting anonymity.
A second person aware of the details said no decision was taken about the appointment of the NDA convener and whether there will be a common minimum agenda for the coalition.
“For now, there is a broad understanding that there should be a mechanism in place for members to discuss contentious issues. There are some issues on the BJP’s agenda that some members may disagree with that will need wider discussions and such issues should not be discussed in the public eye, but an effort should be made to reach a consensus,” said the second person, requesting anonymity.
The contentious issues being referred to are likely the implementation of the uniform civil code that the BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, support.
In his response to the Law Commission in 2017, Nitish Kumar had said that UCC, which proposes a common set of law for all communities and faiths, must be seen as a measure of reform for people’s welfare, not as a “political instrument”.
He said given the multicultural, multi-religious nature of Indian society, UCC should be put to debate in Parliament as well as legislative assemblies of states. At the time, he was in a coalition with the NDA.
Before joining the NDA, the TDP too had indicated that it will stand with the Muslims on the issue of UCC and not support any decision that will act against the interests of the community. Naidu also supported the idea of reservation for Muslims — an issue Modi railed against during the general elections.
Both states have also sought special status and are likely to press for the demand.
To a question on if the TDP wants the speaker’s post and allies such as the JD(U), LJP and Jana Sena may demand more berths of their choice, the second leader said, “For now, the focus is on government formation...these issues will be subsequently discussed and decisions amiably arrived at.”
BJP president JP Nadda, and Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh were deputed by the PM to hold parleys with allies.
The meeting was attended by Chandrababu Naidu; Nitish Kumar, Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Sanjay Jha of the JD(U); Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena; HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S); Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi of the Hindustan Awam Morcha; Pawan Kalyan of the Jana Sena Party; Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel of the Nationalist Congress Party; Anupriya Patel of the Apna Dal (Sonelal); Jayant Chaudhary of the Rashtriya Lok Dal, Pramod Boro of the United People’s Party Liberal; Atul Bora of the Asom Gana Parishad; Indra Hang Subba of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha and Sudesh Mahto of the All Jharkhand Student’s Union.
There is speculation that the Union cabinet will have newer faces. The PM has already tasked ministries to work on the 100-day agenda of the new government.
