Modi elected as NDA leader, ready to form govt

Preparing to take oath for a third straight term as the head of a coalition government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance's members who unanimously elected him as its leader.

NDA MPs will meet on June 7 to formally elect Modi as their leader and the alliance leaders will then go to the President to submit their letters of support, HAM (Secular) leader and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said after attending the meeting.

The new government may be sworn in over the weekend, some sources said, adding that there is a view to wrap up the formalities quickly to not allow any mood of uncertainty to build up, something a buoyant opposition may push.

How soon the BJP and its allies reach an agreement on matters like the share of ministries each party may get and other terms of negotiations could also be a factor in deciding the timing of the swearing-in or they could put off the tricky issues for resolution at a later stage.

Telugu Desam Party leader N Chandrababu Naidu, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Lok Janshakti Party-R leader Chirag Paswan, Janata Dal-Secular leader HD Kumarawamy, Jana Sena's Pawan Kalyan, Asom Gana Parishad's Atul Bora and Nationalist Congress Party's Praful Patel were among the 21 leaders from 16 parties who attended the meeting besides Modi and BJP's Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and J P Nadda.

"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," Prime Minister Modi said on X after the meeting.

A resolution passed at the meeting said the NDA government will continue working to lift people's living standards for the country's all-round development while conserving its heritage.

Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjay Jha, who was present in the meeting, said the formalities related to the formation of the government at the Centre under Modi are expected to be over soon.

All parties expressed confidence in Modi's leadership, he added.

"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," the resolution added.

It also said that people have seen the country being developed in every sector in the last 10 years due to the pro-people policies of the NDA government under Modi.

The NDA has won 293 seats in the Lok Sabha election, comfortably above 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, it will be a different act for him this time as the BJP has fallen well short of the majority and depends on allies for the government-formation after enjoying a comfortable majority on its own in the previous two terms of his government.

Hosting the meeting, the BJP presented a picture of collective partnership with its allies with Naidu, Kumar and Shinde seated to the left of Modi while Nadda, Singh and Shah flanked the prime minster on his right.

In terms of their parties' strength, Naidu, Kumar and Shinde are the three biggest NDA constituents in that order after the BJP.

The parties of Naidu and Kumar, who together command the support of 28 MPs, have rubbished speculation on their future moves. Naidu has reiterated his support to the BJP, a view echoed by Janata Dal-United's Jha as well.

Asked by a reporter if he is in the NDA, Naidu shot back,"We contested the elections together. Why do you doubt."

All leaders congratulated the PM for his leadership and the strides our nation has made under him. They appreciated the PM's hard work and efforts in nation-building, he said.

Modi said at the meeting that it was a historic mandate for the NDA's third consecutive government which, he noted, was last received in the country over 60 years back.

His allies lauded Modi for his clear vision for "Viksit Bharat" and asserted that they are partners in this goal.

They also praised him for enhancing India's pride in the world, besides his efforts towards poverty eradication and pledged to continue the good work, the sources said.