To avoid any possible cracks in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), leaders of the member parties led by the BJP met at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence to discuss formation of the new government following the declaration of the Lok Sabha election results.
Nitish Kumar’s JDU, which has won 12 seats in Bihar, and N Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP that secured 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh have become significant partners of the NDA as the BJP could not secure the magic number of 272 on its own.
According to sources, the NDA leaders will meet President Droupadi Murmu later in the day to stake the claim to form the next government at the centre.
Modi, fully knowing the importance the BJP allies, made special mention to the TDP and JDU bosses during his victory speech after election results on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, Modi has resigned as prime minister and handed over his resignation right before the meeting of the NDA leaders at his residence.
“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 on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, a union cabinet chaired by PM Modi recommended the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, whose term ends on June 16.
President Murmu has accepted the resignation and requested that the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers continue until the new government assumes office.
As per the results announced by the Election Commission of India on Tuesday, the BJP won 240 seats and the Congress 99 seats.
The BJP fell 32 seats short of the majority mark of 272 and hence it will have to rely on its allies to form the new government.
Modi is expected to take the oath as prime minister for the third time on June 8.
