Chandrababu Naidu said the TDP had contested the elections collectively as part of the NDA.
New Delhi:
Chandrababu Naidu, who emerged as one of the kingmakers in the recent elections, claimed that his Telugu Desam Party is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. His assertion comes amid rumours that opposition leaders are trying to bring him into the Indian fold even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to form an NDA government on Saturday.
Naidu was among the NDA partners who attended a key meeting to discuss forming a government at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official residence yesterday. “It was a good meeting,” he said on his way out.
“How can I contest elections if I am not part of the NDA? We have fought unitedly. I don’t know why I doubt,” he asserted when asked if he was still part of the NDA.
The BJP did not win a majority in the Indian Lok Sabha elections. It won 240 seats in the 543-seat parliament, 32 seats short of the median. However, the NDA won 293 seats compared to the Indian National Congress’ 234, and with the support of its allies it passed the 272-seat mark.
TDP’s Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal United leader Nitish Kumar, both veterans of the coalition government, have emerged as kingmakers at this crucial juncture and their presence at the NDA meeting has given the BJP the go-ahead ahead of the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday.
They are also learnt to have expressed their support in writing to PM Modi amid rife speculations that opposition leaders may approach them to make their case.
Other NDA partners Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, Janasena’s Pawan Kalyan, LJP’s Chirag Paswan and NCP’s Praful Patel were also present at yesterday’s meeting and elected PM Modi as the leader of the alliance.
