Key members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) today endorsed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third consecutive term. During an NDA meeting in New Delhi, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and JDU’s Nitish Kumar publicly accepted the proposal to elect Modi as the alliance’s prime ministerial candidate.
“Today, India has the right leader at the right time. We are very confident that under his leadership, India will become the 1st or 2nd largest economy in the next five years,” Naidu said.
Nitish Kumar also expressed strong support for PM Modi and criticized the opposition INDIA alliance. “The opposition bloc has not done any work for the country. I will be with PM Modi at all times. All the pending works of Bihar will be done. It is a very good thing that all of us have come together and we will all work together with you,” Kumar stated.
These endorsements come amid speculation that the TDP and JDU are seeking key portfolios in the new cabinet, which is set to be sworn in on Sunday.
The NDA secured 293 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, marking a significant victory. However, the BJP alone won 240 seats, falling short of the 272 needed for a majority government. This contrasts with the BJP’s dominance in the last two terms.
The BJP’s path to a majority is bolstered by four key allies: Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP with 16 seats, Nitish Kumar’s JDU with 12, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena with 7, and Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas with 5.
In addition to these developments, PM Modi shared a candid moment with Chirag Paswan at the NDA meeting, emphasizing the camaraderie within the alliance. PM Modi also outlined his vision for the next decade, reinforcing the NDA’s position as the most successful alliance in Indian political history.
