New Delhi: Members of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday expressed their support for Narendra Modi in forming the government at the Centre for third straight time. The alliance partners met at a crucial meeting held at the Prime Minister’s 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence and formally chose Modi as the leader of NDA.
Modi and his partners are likely to stake claim to form the government on June 7. Among those who have expressed their willingness to continue supporting NDA are Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, Telegu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu, Bihar CM and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar, and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), or LJPRV chief Chirag Paswan.
Kumar and Naidu also gave a letter of support to BJP during the meeting. BJP has won 240 seats, which is 32 short of the majority mark of 272. For the first time since coming to power in 2014, BJP will need support from its partners, which have bagged 53 seats. TDP is the largest partner with 16 seats, JDU has 12, Shiv Sena 7, LJPRV 5, JD(S) 2, JNP 2, RLD 2, ADAL 1, AGP 1, AJSUP 1, HAMS 1, NCP 1, SKM 1 and UPPL 1.
The discussions will now centre on ministerial berth, and such talks have already started. Paswan refused to comment on possible portfolio distribution, saying that the decision rests on the Prime Minister. His party is likely to get a state minister berth.
LJPRV, which has won five Lok Sabha seats, is in partnership with the ruling JD(U) in Bihar. “Modi ji showed his faith in a party with a single MP and gave us five seats and we won all of them,” Paswan said, adding that his CM (Nitish) stands with NDA like a rock.
Nitish, given his history of switching parties, is likely to bargain hard with the BJP. He was assured three berths before the elections and may now be pushing for at least one more.
Besides multiple ministerial berths, Nitish is likely to bargain for more central funds for his state, early assembly polls and special status for Bihar.
TDP chief Naidu, with 16 seats, refused to give away anything on his demands. “We are in the NDA. I am going for an NDA meeting,” Naidu said on arrival in Delhi.
Maharashtra CM Shinde, whose party has contributed 6 seats, has expressed the party’s desire to be at the Centre. “Under Narendra Modi’s leadership, the NDA will form government at the Centre. I am here (in New Delhi) to extend my support to him. Those who don’t have the numbers are talking about government formation,” Shinde told media after arriving in Delhi.
His dig was at INDIA group parties, which are also in a meeting at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence.