‘We’ll work towards building Viksit Bharat’: Narendra Modi after NDA meeting

NEW DELHI: Caretaker Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with the top brass of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met leaders from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday evening in the first meeting after the alliance secured a majority in the Lok Sabha elections.

The NDA leaders have reposed faith in Modi and chose him as the leader of the alliance, paving the way for him to become the PM for the third straight time.

After the meeting, Modi said that NDA will further national progress and fulfil regional aspirations. “We will serve the 140 crore people of India and work towards building a Viksit Bharat,” PM said in a post on X, following a crucial meeting at his residence in Delhi”, he said in a post on X.

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. pic.twitter.com/ENo9b5ye4J

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 5, 2024

After taking part in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting in the national capital on Wednesday to discuss the formation of the new government, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu affirmed that the TDP is with NDA. Speaking on the meeting with BJP’s top leadership, Naidu said that the meeting was good. On being asked about being a part of the NDA, Naidu said, “How can we contest elections if we are not a part of the NDA? We fought this collectively”.

Notably, NDA leaders unanimously passed a resolution in the meeting, electing Narendra Modi as their leader. The meeting was attended by BJP president JP Nadda, BJP leaders Amit Shah, and Rajnath Singh, BJP’s allies including Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) supremo N Chandrababu Naidu, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy, Janasena Party chief Pawan Kalyan, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan and Nationalist Congress Party leader Praful Patel among others.

The participation of Naidu and Nitish Kumar in the NDA meeting is a significant step as the support of their parties is crucial for the BJP to form the government. This time, the BJP fell 32 seats short of the majority mark of 272 and will need to rely on its allies to form a government.

As per the results announced by the Election Commission of India on Tuesday, the BJP won 240 seats and the Congress 99 seats. BJP had won 303 seats in the 2019 general elections and 282 seats in the 2014 general elections.

Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu dissolved the 17th Lok Sabha on Wednesday after the recommendation of the Union Cabinet.”The President accepted the advice of the Cabinet on June 5, 2024, and signed the Order dissolving the 17th Lok Sabha in the exercise of the powers conferred upon her by Sub-Clause (2) of Article 85 of the Constitution”, a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said. (ANI)