“We Fought This Collectively”: Chandrababu Naidu Asserts He’s In NDA

Chandrababu Naidu, who has emerged as one of the kingmakers after the recent elections, has asserted that his Telugu Desam Party is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance. His assertion came amid a buzz that Opposition leaders are trying to woo him into the INDIA bloc even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to form the NDA government on Saturday.

Mr Naidu was among the NDA partners who attended a key meeting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence yesterday to discuss government formation. It was a good meeting, he said while leaving.

“How can we contest elections if we are not a part of the NDA? We fought this collectively. I don’t know why you have a doubt,” he asserted on being asked if he’s still a part of the NDA.

The Lok Sabha elections denied a majority to the BJP. It got 240 seats in the 543-member Parliament – 32 seats short of the halfway mark. However, it crossed the 272 mark with the help of its allies as the NDA posted a score of 294 seats as against the INDIA bloc’s 234.

Chandrababu Naidu of the TDP and Janata Dal United boss Nitish Kumar, both coalition-era veterans, have emerged kingmakers at this crucial juncture. Their participation in the NDA meeting was a green signal to the BJP ahead of Saturday’s oath ceremony.

It is learnt that they have also given written support to PM Modi amid speculations that the Opposition leaders could approach them in a bid to stake claim.

Other NDA partners – Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde, JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy, Janasena’s Pawan Kalyan, LJP’s Chirag Paswan and NCP’s Praful Patel – were present too at yesterday’s meeting, where they chose PM Modi as the leader of the alliance.