Lok Sabha Elections 2024: NDA elects Modi as alliance leader; JD(U), TDP eye plum posts

New Delhi: The members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday met to declare Narendra Modi as the leader of the alliance, with Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde sharing the dias with Modi.

Party president JP Nadda, and senior party leaders Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, too, were present in the meeting.  

“We are proud that the NDA fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections collectively under the leadership of honourable Narendra Modi, and won. We, all the leaders of the NDA, choose him as our leader unanimously,” a resolution signed by all the parties read. 

Other parties representatives who were present in the meeting included Lok Janshakti Party, Hindustani Awam Morcha, Jana Sena Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Apna Dal (Sonelal), Rashtriya Lok Dal, Asom Gana Parishad, United People's Party Liberal, All Jharkhand Students Union, and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha.

While many of the leaders attended the meeting, the notable exception was Ajit Pawar of the NCP, whose party bagged 1 seat. The combined strength of the parties stand at 295 seats, which is 23 seats above the majority mark of 272 seats. 

The leaders of the NDA will meet again on June 7, when a parliamentary party meet of all the leaders of the alliance will lend their support to Modi. Prior to the NDA meet, leaders of the BJP parliamentary party will also meet to elect Modi as their leader.

The NDA leaders are then expected to meet President Droupadi Murmu to stake claim. Sources in the BJP said that the swearing-in could tentatively take place on June 8.  

Both the JDU and TDP soon publicly came out with their support.

“Honoring the mandate given by the people of our country, all NDA partners unanimously endorsed Shri @narendramodi Ji as our coalition leader at a meeting held in Delhi today. Under his able leadership, we shall all strive to ensure that our country continues to prosper and emerge as a global leader,” Naidu posted on X soon after the meet. 

JD(U) also ruled out any chances of joining hands with the I.N.D.I.A. Alliance. In a press statement party MP and Nitish Kumar aide Rajiv Ranjan said that I.N.D.I.A. alliance have “lost their mental balance” after having lost third consecutive election. He said a “misleading campaign” against Nitish Kumar illustrates desperation among the I.N.D.I.A. allies.

Despite the seemingly fussless coming together of the alliance, demands flew thick among the NDA partners. If sources are to be believed, then the TDP was keen on the post of the Speaker along with six ministries, as well as some junior ministerial positions.

Demands from the JD(U) include the vice-chairman in the Rajya sabha, a position they currently hold, as well as an earlier election. 

Ministerial berths in the rural development, agriculture, urban development and health ministries are most sought after, even though BJP leaders said that home and finance remained non-negotiable. 

Both Chirag Paswan and Eknath Shinde were keen on two ministerial berths; Paswan has 5 MPs and Shinde has 7. Jitan Manjhi, Anupriya Patel and Jayant Chaudhary all wanted one ministerial berth each.

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