Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's anticipated swearing-in for a historic third consecutive term, the newly elected Members of Parliament belonging to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are scheduled to convene today to finalize the roster of cabinet ministers.
The swearing-in ceremony, promising grandeur, is slated for tomorrow evening, where PM Modi and his new cabinet members will take their oaths. This occasion marks a significant milestone as Modi becomes the first three-term Prime Minister since the esteemed Jawaharlal Nehru.
In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 240 seats but fell short of the majority mark by 32 seats. The alliance's strength is bolstered by crucial support from four key allies: N Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) with 16 seats, Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) [JDU] with 12 seats, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena with 7 seats, and Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas with 5 seats.
Notably, Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, emerging as pivotal figures, publicly endorsed PM Modi's candidature as the alliance's Prime Ministerial nominee. They have reportedly extended written support to PM Modi, potentially preempting any overtures from opposition leaders seeking their allegiance.
Attention now shifts to negotiations between the BJP and its crucial allies, particularly the TDP and JD(U), both vying for significant portfolios in the new cabinet. Additionally, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena faction and Chirag Paswan's LJP are also pressing for key ministerial roles in Modi's cabinet.
Amidst this political maneuvering, the INDIA opposition bloc, defying exit poll predictions, posed a formidable challenge to the BJP in the national elections - a departure from the overwhelming 'Modi wave' that secured BJP's power in 2014. The opposition alliance concluded with 232 seats, falling short by 40 seats of the majority mark. Led by the Congress, the INDIA opposition bloc secured 99 wins out of the 328 seats it contested.
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