Rama Krishna Sangem
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked his BJP and other allies of NDA (National Democratic Alliance) to work hard and win 2024 Lok Sabha elections with more votes and seats. In most states, BJP got close to 50 per cent votes and in all, won 303 MP seats, so this time, that tally shall be more, he said while addressing a formal meeting of 38 NDA parties meeting in Delhi on July 16, Tuesday.
Interestingly, this is the first time PM Modi addressed a meeting of NDA allies. This is considered to be an answer to the opposition parties conclaves, first in Patna on June 23 and next in Bangalore on July 17 and 18. The 25 Opposition parties including Congress have renamed their front as INDIA, instead of earlier UPA. This new name of INDIA sounds closer to NDA as it includes these three letters in it.
PM Modi who was the star speaker at the NDA meeting appeared confident of repulsing the opposition attack by saying Congress led camp was built on a negative agenda. “Unlike them, we formed NDA with a positive agenda – of providing stability to the country,” said Modi. To project Congress as destabilizing force, the PM used examples of 1990s when Congress pulled down some coalition governments formed with its support.
New parties, but with little track record
Tuesday’s NDA meeting got more number of parties – 38 – than that of the opposition’s 25. But, except BJP, most of NDA allies which turned up for the meet are minor or lesser forces. For example, new entrants like Ajit Pawar of NCP, Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, Pawan Kalyan of Jana Sena, E Palaniswami of AIADMK or Chirag Paswan of LJP are fresh faces but with little track record in political battles.
It i s intriguing that why TDP led by Chandrababu Naidu has been sending feelers to join NDA hasn’t been invited to the meeting. Or YSR Congress led by CM Jagan Mohan Reddy too is very friendly with BJP government, but why it maintains distance from NDA. Or BJD of Naveen Patnaik too is trusted ally of PM Modi, but why he too is not part of the ruling coalition. Interestingly, these parties and BRS of CM KCR are not part of either NDA or INDIA front.
What we hear is that there will be more meetings of NDA too in the coming months just as INDIA front too will hold their conclaves. One big difference is that INDIA needs to iron out certain issues like avoiding internal electoral conflicts, but NDA doesn’t have such problems. Attended by top brass of BJP – like Amit Shah, JP Nadda and Rajnath Singh, Tuesday’s NDA meeting is just a message – that BJP too is open to friends. No more single, but ready to mingle!
