NEW DELHI (Reuters) -Newly elected lawmakers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) arrived in New Delhi on Friday for their first meeting. They will formally elect him as their leader before he presents his claim to form a new coalition government.
Modi will become prime minister for a record-equalling third consecutive term. This is the first time his Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has needed regional parties for support.
The BJP, previously holding a handsome majority, secured only 240 seats. This falls short of the 272 needed to form a government independently.
The NDA won 293 seats in the 543-member lower house of parliament. The INDIA alliance, led by Rahul Gandhi’s centrist Congress party, secured over 230 seats, surpassing expectations.
Indian media reports suggest Modi’s allies, including the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (United), aspire for the speaker’s post. The BJP is anticipated to retain key ministries like foreign affairs, defense, interior, and finance.
The coalition negotiations reflect a pre-2014 era when alliance partners bargained for positions. This contrasts with Modi’s outright BJP majority in 2014.
Modi will attend a meeting of the NDA after meeting party lawmakers early on Friday. There, he will be formally elected as the leader.
An NDA leader informed Reuters that he is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu later on Friday. There, he will stake his claim to form a government.
Furthermore, the alliance leader election underscores the significance of consensus-building in India’s democratic framework. Modi’s candidacy symbolizes the culmination of extensive deliberations and negotiations among coalition partners.
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