The parliamentary Lok Sabha elections were held in 7 phases from April 19 to June 1. The votes cast were counted on the 4th and the results announced. According to these results, the BJP, which has been in power for 10 years, did not get a single majority.
In general, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 293 seats in the context of winning 272 seats to form a separate government. Thus, the BJP decided to form a government with the support of the coalition parties and the coalition parties expressed their support for Prime Minister Modi to become the Prime Minister for the 3rd term. Prime Minister Modi was also elected as the President of the National Democratic Alliance.
After this, Prime Minister Modi met President Drabupati Murmu and submitted his resignation letter. The President asked him to act as caretaker Prime Minister until a new government was formed. PM Modi also suggested dissolving the 17th Lok Sabha. Accepting it, the President dissolved the Lok Sabha.
In this case, the meeting of MPs of the National Democratic Alliance parties was held in the central hall of the Parliament on Friday. In this meeting, senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh proposed a resolution to elect Prime Minister Modi as the Chairman (Prime Minister) of the National Democratic Alliance’s Parliamentary Committee. Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari and coalition party leaders spoke.
In this meeting, Prime Minister Modi thanked the alliance parties and spoke about the next 5 years of operations. He then referred to the NDA as a “30-year-old” and “organic” coalition, which would lead a successful government for the 3rd term.
He also emphasized that the NDA reflects “India’s diversity” and refers to various social groups, referring to the alliance several times in his speech and avoiding referring to himself in the third person.
After 10 years of tight rule, Prime Minister Modi concluded his speech by cautioning against media speculation about handing over new ministries to new MPs. Saying this is not his style, Modi said, “The country does not run on mainstream news. Let that be clear.” Also mentioned.
‘Organic Alliance’
Saying that the NDA was “not a collection of a few parties for power” like the India Alliance, Modi said, “It was sown from the shoulders of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prakash Singh Badal, Balasaheb Thackeray, George Fernandes, Sharad Yadav. That seed has now become a tree.” He also said.
Interestingly, Nitish Kumar, Chandrababu Naidu and HD Kumaraswamy of the JDS, who sat on the dais with PM Modi, reunited after leaving the NDA in the past.
‘Not a failure’
Avoiding talking about the fact that the BJP is 63 seats short, Modi talked about the success of the National Democratic Alliance. “We were undefeated then and we are undefeated now. Everyone knows that this is the NDA government. So how did we lose?” He questioned.
In contrast, Modi said, “even after 10 years, the Congress has not been able to touch 100. If you add the Congress seats in the last three elections, we have got more than that this time.”
Explaining the BJP’s relatively muted reaction to the results, he said, “We know how to digest a victory. We do not spread hatred (Anmaat). We will not make fun of the defeated,” Modi said.
’22 States… Spirit, Soul of India’
Emphasizing the expansion of the National Democratic Alliance, Modi said, ‘Its parties represent diverse social groups. Thus implicitly bringing in a social justice and religious diversity angle. It is believed that India has used these two issues to its advantage in these elections.
Look at the strength of democracy that has given people the opportunity to serve the NDA in 22 states. Our alliance reflects the soul and spirit of India. 10 states in India have a significant presence of tribals. Out of this, the National Democratic Alliance has seven seats. We are dedicated to ‘All Religions, One Spirit’.
Hailing the BJP workers from Odisha for the party’s victory in the assembly elections in Odisha and winning the Lok Sabha seats with the slogan “Maha Prabu Jagannath”, Modi said, “Be it Goa or the North-Eastern states where there is a significant number of Christians, we have got an opportunity to serve the people. In South India, the NDA has laid the foundation for a new politics,” he said.
’10 more years’
According to Modi, the NDA parties are bound by the fact that “good governance is common to all”. He cited his tenure in Gujarat, Chandrababu Naidu’s previous government in Andhra Pradesh and Nitish Kumar’s tenure in Bihar as examples.
“The nation has been living under the NDA for 10 years. People saw for the first time what government is and for whom it works. The NDA government will be there for the next 10 years, I am sure of that. It will bring good governance, development and minimum interference in the lives of middle and upper middle class people. Let us write a new chapter of Vikas, fulfill the dreams of a well-governed, developed India,” he said.
‘Oppositions are not opponents of the nation’
Slamming statements by opposition parties raising questions about the functioning of electronic voting machines, Modi alleged that their aim was to “discredit Indian democracy globally”. “On Election Day, I asked someone, ‘Are electronic voting machines alive or dead?’ I asked that. They wanted to insult Indian democracy. But by the evening of June 4, talk of electronic voting machines had died down. It will resume in 2029. The matter went to the Supreme Court. They wanted to humiliate the country globally.
At the same time, democracy teaches respect for all. I also congratulate the members of the opposition. He missed ‘quality debates’ in Parliament. And hopefully they will be this time too. He also said that his political opponents would only oppose the government led by him (Vibaksh) and not the nation.
