As senior leaders of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are set to hold a meeting today to take stock of the Lok Sabha poll results and deliberate on government formation, Nitesh Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu have both assured that their support is with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. However, with reports of INDIA contacting Nitish Kumar and the opposition alliance's meeting too scheduled for today, doubts loom as to where the loyalty of both the parties lies.
Here's what has happened since the Lok Sabha results were declared:
- The NDA and I.N.D.I.A bloc will hold meetings today to deliberate on the government formation.
- While the NDA crossed the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the BJP has fallen short for the first time since 2014, and is therefore critically dependent on its allies to form government at the Centre.
- Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar arrived in Delhi on June 5 to attend the meeting along with MP Sanjay Kumar.
- RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav too was spotted traveling to Delhi in the same airplane, the visuals of which went viral on the internet.
- When asked if the INDIA will try to form a government at the Centre, he said: "Have some patience. Wait & watch."
- Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar, while reaffirming his party's support to the NDA, said: "Sarkar toh ab banegi hi" [The government will be formed now].
- JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi also stressed that the party is with NDA and will submit a letter pledging support to the BJP-led alliance.
- Tyagi 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 INDIA alliance)."
- TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu also said that his party was "in NDA" and that he will be attending the NDA meeting to be held in New Delhi on Wednesday.
- "I am experienced and have seen so many political changes. We are in NDA, I am going to attend the NDA meeting, if anything, in the course of time, I will inform you," Naidu said in a press conference.
- In a post on X, Naidu exressed gratitude and thanked voters for "blessing the TDP-BJP-JSP alliance with an overhwhelming mandate to serve them".
- Thanking PM Modi and other alliance leaders, Naidu tweeted: "This significant victory is the result of the hard work and dedication of our leaders and karyakarthas, who fought bravely against all odds until the last vote was cast. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each one of them for their unwavering commitment and congratulate them on this outstanding achievement!"
The TDP-BJP-Janasena alliance won a landslide victory in the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Andhra Pradesh, winning 21 Parliament and 164 Assembly seats.- In Bihar,
- According to ABP News sources, the NDA MPs' meeting will be held on the June 7 at the Parliament building. In this meeting, the Chief Ministers of the NDA-governed states, Deputy Chief Ministers, and the party president will be present. The meeting will likely take place at 2:30 pm.