NDA will form the next government, says Shiv Sena leader

As counting day for the Lok Sabha elections draws closer, the Shiv Sena once again implied that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would fail to cross the half-way mark in the Lok Sabha on its own

As counting day for the Lok Sabha elections draws closer, the Shiv Sena once again implied that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would fail to cross the half-way mark in the Lok Sabha on its own. Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would form the next government at the Centre.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena leader (HT)

With the last of the seven phases remaining, the Lok Sabha elections results will be declared on May 23. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena is a key constituent of the NDA and had 18 members of parliament in the last Lok Sabha. The Sena leader said smaller parties not part of the NDA currently will gravitate towards the NDA to form the next government after the results. Raut said, “I am saying this since the beginning that the NDA will form the next government. I have been repeatedly using the term NDA. There is a scenario that many smaller parties that are not part of the NDA now, and which could get more seats, will join the NDA.”

Raut also dismissed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s statement that a Modi-led coalition government would not last long. Raut said, “In the past, many coalition governments have completed their term. The NDA will retain power, and it will sail through.”

Last week, the Sena leader latched on to the statement by BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who had hinted at BJP’s assessment of falling short of a majority. The Sena leader echoed the view that it could be difficult for the ruling party to form the next government on its own.

The Sena leader also slammed the West Bengal government over the attack on BJP national president Amit Shah’s roadshow in Kolkata on Tuesday. He said the incident was “unfortunate” for democracy in the country. He added that any leader is free to campaign in any part of the country. “West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee did not want Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in Bengal. Did anyone stop her from campaigning in Gujarat?” he asked.