Senior BJP leader Narendra Modi is likely to be sworn in as the Prime Minister of India for a third consecutive term on 8th June, as widely reported by media citing sources. With this, Modi will become the second leader in India’s independent history to retain power for a third term after former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
According to the sources, as the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal-United (JDU), the potential “kingmakers” have given the green signal, the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government and the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi is likely to take place on June 8. Both parties are expected to submit formal letters of support to the BJP during a meeting of the alliance.
With key allies in the form of TDP and JD(U), the pre-poll National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 292 Lok Sabha seats which is 20 more than the coveted halfway mark required to form the government at the centre. BJP has become the single largest party and won 240 Lok Sabha seats while its major allies TDP and JDU have won 16 and 12 seats respectively.
The Election Commission of India has announced the results for all 543 seats in the country. As per the results, INDI Alliance has 234, against 292 won by NDA. There are 17 others, including 7 independents, who are not part of any of the two alliances.
Notably, amidst efforts by the leaders of the I.N.D.I. alliance to bring NDA partners TDP and JDU on their side, both NDA allies have extended support to their pre-poll ally. On the contrary, there are reports that key I.N.D.I. Alliance leader Uddhav Thackeray would skip the opposition bloc meeting. However, Sanjay Raut will represent his party in the meeting.
TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu addressed media persons in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh ahead of a crucial NDA meeting in New Delhi to be held later in the evening. Responding to a media query, the TDP Chief reiterated his support for the NDA. Yesterday, he quoted PM Modi’s tweet and said that the mandate reflected that people reposed trust in their alliance (NDA).
Today, he told media, “You always want news. I am experienced and I have seen several political changes in this country. We are in NDA, I’m going to the NDA meeting. In course of time, we will report it.”
#WATCH | Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh: TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu says, "You always want news. I am experienced and I have seen several political changes in this country. We are in NDA, I’m going to the NDA meeting. In course of time, we will report it." pic.twitter.com/IdDvaywjmd
— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2024
Likewise, JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi categorically rejected options of going back to the opposition bloc and noted that Nitish Kumar is heading for the NDA meeting in New Delhi. In the meeting, JDU will also submit the letter to pledge support to NDA and make Narendra Modi the prime minister of the country.
He said, “NDA meeting is taking place in Delhi…Nitish Kumar is participating in the meeting. JD(U) will also submit the letter pledging support to NDA as well as to make Narendra Modi the PM. There is no question of going back (to I.N.D.I. alliance)…”
#WATCH | Delhi: JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi says, "NDA meeting is taking place in Delhi…Nitish Kumar is participating in the meeting. JD(U) will also submit the letter pledging support to NDA as well as to make Narendra Modi the PM..There is no question of going back (to INDIA… pic.twitter.com/vWZDEHSqSa
— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2024
Earlier in the day, the incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Union cabinet meeting in the national capital, a day after the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections were announced.
Union Ministers Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, Rajnath Singh, and other cabinet ministers participated in the meeting that began this morning at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg here. The Union Cabinet recommended the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, whose term ends on June 16.
Meanwhile, both the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA and the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. bloc are set to hold meetings on Wednesday (5th June) to chalk out strategies for future courses of political action. The NDA leaders are scheduled to meet later today, at Prime Minister Modi’s residence at 3:30 p.m.
Taking to X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced that leaders of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc will meet around 6 pm in the national capital.
As per the results of the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission of India has declared results for 542 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, with the BJP winning 240 seats and the Congress 99. The BJP victory tally was much lower than its 2019 tally of 303 and the 282 seats it had won in 2014. The Congress, on the other hand, registered a strong growth, winning 99 seats compared to 52 that it had won in 2019 and 44 seats in 2014.
The INDIA bloc crossed the 230 mark, posing stiff competition, and defying all predictions from exit polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured a third term, but the BJP will need to rely on the support of other parties in his coalition, including JD (U) chief Nitish Kumar and TDP’s chief Chandrababu Naidu.
