(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, set to take the oath for a third consecutive term as the head of a coalition government, chaired a meeting on Wednesday with members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, who unanimously elected him as their leader. Following this decision, PM Modi took to X, formerly Twitter, to assure 140 crore people of India that the alliance will work towards building a Viksit Bharat.
"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," the PM wrote.
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NDA MPs will meet on June 7 to formally elect Modi as their leader, after which the alliance leaders will go to the President to submit their letters of support, said HAM (Secular) leader and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi following a recent meeting.
Sources indicate that the new government may be sworn in over the weekend, with efforts being made to finalize formalities quickly to prevent any uncertainty, which could be exploited by a buoyant opposition.
The timing of the swearing-in could also depend on how soon the BJP and its allies reach agreements on matters such as the distribution of ministries and other negotiation terms. Alternatively, these issues might be deferred for resolution at a later stage.
Among the 21 leaders from 16 parties attending the meeting were TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, LJP(R) leader Chirag Paswan, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, Jana Sena's Pawan Kalyan, AGP's Atul Bora, and NCP's Praful Patel, along with Modi, and BJP leaders Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and J P Nadda.
Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Jha, present at the meeting, stated that the formalities for forming the government under Modi are expected to conclude soon. He added that all parties expressed confidence in Modi's leadership.
A resolution passed at the meeting affirmed that the NDA government will continue to work towards improving living standards and ensuring the country's all-round development while preserving its heritage.
"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 all NDA leaders unanimously elect Narendra Modi as our leader," it added.
It also highlighted that people have witnessed development in every sector over the last 10 years due to the NDA government's pro-people policies under Modi.
The NDA has won 293 seats in the Lok Sabha election, comfortably surpassing the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member House, paving the way for Modi to take the oath for a third consecutive term, a first for any ruling alliance since 1962.
However, this time will be different for Modi as the BJP has fallen short of a majority and now depends on allies for government formation, after having enjoyed a comfortable majority in the previous two terms.
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At the meeting, the BJP showcased a collective partnership with its allies. Naidu, Kumar, and Shinde sat to Modi's left, while Nadda, Singh, and Shah flanked him on the right. In terms of party strength, Naidu, Kumar, and Shinde lead the largest NDA constituents after the BJP.
Naidu and Kumar, commanding the support of 28 MPs together, dismissed speculation about their future moves. Naidu reaffirmed his support for the BJP, a sentiment echoed by JD(U)'s Jha. When asked by a reporter if he is in the NDA, Naidu responded, "We contested the elections together. Why do you doubt?"
All leaders congratulated Modi for his leadership and the nation's progress under his tenure, appreciating his hard work and efforts in nation-building.
Modi remarked that the historic mandate for the NDA's third consecutive government had not been seen in over 60 years. His allies commended his clear vision for a "Viksit Bharat" and asserted their partnership in achieving this goal. They also praised Modi for enhancing India's global stature and his efforts towards poverty eradication, pledging to continue the good work.
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