With the Lok Sabha election results announced on June 5, 2024, it was clear that we, the nation, have delivered a hung parliament, with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) falling short of an outright majority. The BJP secured 240 seats, well below the 272 required for a simple majority. However, when combined with its allies, the NDA has crossed the majority mark.
Crucially, the Janata Dal (United) led by Nitish Kumar and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) headed by N. Chandrababu Naidu have together won 28 seats. Both parties have reaffirmed their allegiance to the NDA and will attend the alliance's meeting in Delhi today.
Naidu, speaking at his first press conference after the elections, stated emphatically,
"I am with the NDA. I thank Pawan for his relentless support. The people taught them a lesson for arresting me illegally. We along with the BJP worked for a better Andhra"
He thanked his ally, Pawan Kumar, for his support and said the people had taught the opposition 'a lesson' for illegal arrest. Naidu added his support for BJP.
The TDP chief, who is set to become Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for a fourth term after his party's landslide win, described the elections as "historic" with voters even from abroad returning to exercise their franchise. He expressed his gladness at the support received from voters.
On the other side, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) has won over 200 seats but has also fallen short of the majority mark. The INDIA bloc will hold a strategy session in Delhi this evening to decide their next steps at 6 p.m today.
With neither the NDA nor INDIA able to stake a claim by themselves, the smaller parties like JD(U) and TDP find themselves holding the balance of power. Their decision on which alliance to support could be the deciding factor in government formation.
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Naidu is scheduled to attend the NDA meeting in Delhi today along with other alliance partners like Nitish Kumar. The JD(U) chief and his former INDIA ally Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD will be on the same flight to the capital, setting the stage for an intriguing political drama.
As the day unfolds, all eyes will be on the meetings of the two major alliances and the signals sent out by key players like Naidu and Kumar. Their choices could have a profound impact on the next government's policy priorities and reform agenda in this crucial period for India.
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