New Delhi. The newly elected MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance are likely to meet on Friday to elect Narendra Modi as their leader. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to take place on Sunday. Sources said that after Modi is elected as the leader of the NDA parliamentary party, senior members of the alliance like TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar will meet President Draupadi Murmu and submit a list of MPs supporting her.
He said Modi could take oath over the weekend, possibly on Sunday. The NDA has 293 MPs, which is more than the majority figure of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, held a day-long meeting on Thursday and discussed ways to speed up government formation efforts. The meeting was held at the residence of BJP president JP Nadda. According to sources, some senior RSS officials were also present in the meeting.
According to party leaders, other issues including the participation of NDA constituents in the formation of the future council of ministers were discussed in this meeting. Amidst the efforts to form the government, this meeting took place at a time when JD (U) raised the demand for review of the Agneepath scheme for recruitment in the army. After the meeting at Nadda’s residence, BJP President Nadda and Shah met Prime Minister Modi in the evening. It is understood that the top leaders of the party discussed the form of government formation during this meeting.
Meanwhile, senior JD(U) leader and Bihar’s Rural Development Minister Shravan Kumar told PTI-Bhasha on Thursday that the decision on the ministerial berth will be decided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our leader Nitish Kumar. Kumar said, “Our party’s national president (Nitish Kumar) will decide on how many ministerial berths JD(U) should get in the Union Cabinet, but it should be ‘respectful’.”
Shravan Kumar, an MLA from the Chief Minister’s home district Nalanda since 1995 and considered close to him, however, refused to elaborate on the respectable representation in the Union Cabinet and said, “Keeping in mind the 2025 Bihar assembly elections, a decision should be taken in this regard.” Another BJP ally and LJP (R) leader Chirag Paswan said that his party’s support to Modi is unconditional and it is under his leadership that the NDA has won a majority.
He said that all the NDA constituents can submit letters to the President on Friday supporting Modi as the new Prime Minister. When asked about the demand of JD(U) to review the ‘Agneepath’ scheme, Paswan said that Modi had said in the NDA meeting on Wednesday that he is ready to take suggestions from allies on various issues.
Without commenting directly on the issue, the young MP said, “In fact, he encouraged us to speak.” JDU spokesperson KC Tyagi earlier told reporters, “Voters are angry about the (short-term army recruitment) Agneepath scheme. Our party wants to remove those shortcomings.” Modi, who is preparing to take oath for the third time as the head of the coalition government, on Wednesday chaired a meeting of members of the ruling coalition, who unanimously elected him as their leader.
Leaders of BJP’s ally Janata Dal (United) also held discussions with party president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on government formation and their role in it. Though JD(U) has not said anything officially on the issue, sources said that it is looking to get some key ministerial posts to strengthen its position in Bihar. Its political strength in the state has weakened in the last few years. It is in third place in the state assembly after Rashtriya Janata Dal and BJP.
BJP leaders are in touch with allies regarding ministerial posts and other issues. Naidu wants the Centre to provide financial assistance to Andhra Pradesh to make Amaravati the capital. Sources said that he also wants the new government to fulfill the commitments made to Andhra Pradesh after the separate Telangana state. This time JD (U) has performed well in the Lok Sabha elections. It has won 12 seats. JD (U) is the second largest ally of BJP after Telugu Desam Party (TDP)’s 16 seats. BJP will have to depend on these two parties for the survival of the new government.