NDA Again, but strong opposition – Verdict 2024
News Kashmir Analysis
The results of the historic 2024 Lok Sabha elections were announced on 4 June, 2024. The results surprised one and all, proved all major exit polls wrong .
The BJP, which enjoyed a handsome majority in the previous two terms, secured only 240 seats, way behind the 272 mark needed to form a government in its own right. The NDA won 293 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.
As a matter of fact, The four allies whose support is critical for the BJP to reach the majority are N Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, which has won 16 seats, Nitish Kumar’s JDU (12), Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena (7) and Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (5).
The motley assortment of regional parties are seeking to leverage their new influence to extract minister positions.
Political experts opine that
coalition negotiations are a throwback to an era before 2014 – when PM Modi swept to power with an outright BJP majority – in which alliance partners haggled for positions and benefits.
Narendra Modi, preparing to take oath for a third straight term, chaired a meeting of the ruling alliance’s members on Wednesday, 5 June 2024, where he was unanimously elected as the NDA leader.
On 6 June, Thursday, senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, held deliberations to set in motion the government formation efforts. The meeting was attended by newly elected MPs of the BJP and NDA constituent parties, Rajya Sabha MPs, Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of states ruled by the BJP and NDA, floor leaders of legislative assemblies and councils, and national office bearers of the BJP.
In Jammu and Kashmir too results were surprising as two former Chief Ministers lost, as National Conference won two seats out of three from Kashmir. The surprise came from North Kashmir wherein Omar Abdullah was defeated by Engineer Rashid .
From Jammu BJP lead a clean sweep as it won both seats. The country will but this time around have a strong opposition.
The opposition INDIA bloc has 234 Lok Sabha seats, 38 short of the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member House.
After the India Bloc meeting, Kharge said the INDIA bloc would continue to “fight against the fascist rule of the BJP led by PM Modi”. “We will take the appropriate steps at the appropriate time to realise the people’s desire not to be ruled by the BJP’s government.”
“This is our decision and we altogether agreed on these points and we will keep up with the promises we have given to the people,” the Congress President added.
The coming times and years in National polity offer a unique perspective.
On Friday 7 June ,2024, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s allies on Friday endorsed Narendra Modi as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Parliamentary Party, setting the stage for his third term as the Prime Minister, even as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Chandrababu Naidu underlined the need for regional aspirations and national interests to go hand in hand to ensure holistic development of all sections.
While on Sunday 9 June 2024 historic oath of PM Modi and cabinet took place.
