NDA to fight all polls as a united front, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said all upcoming elections will be fought by the National Democratic Alliance as a single bloc, signalling that the coalition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party was going strong.

In a meeting with chief ministers and deputy chief minister of several NDA-ruled states including Andhra Pradesh’s CM and Telegu Desam Party leader Chandrababu Naidu, the PM said that the allies will contest the upcoming polls “unitedly” and “will work with strength” across the country, said people aware of the details.

BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde told reporters that the meeting held at the Imperial Hotel was attended by the CMs and deputy CMs who were present for the oath taking ceremony of the BJP government in Delhi.

“The PM said that in the coming one and a half years, the NDA will fight all elections, whether in Bihar, Bengal, or any other state, with full vigour to defeat the Opposition,” Tawde said.

Since it came to power at the Centre for the third time, the BJP has made a concerted effort to project the NDA as a cohesive unit as opposed to the Opposition’s INDIA bloc. The BJP, which fell short of winning a majority on its own in the 2024 general elections, had to rely on a bunch of parties such as the Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (United), Janata Dal (Secular) and the Lok Janshakti Party to form the government at the centre.

“Unlike the NDA, which is united, the INDI parties are a confused lot, they sometimes come together and sometimes contest against each other like they did in Delhi recently, with the Congress on one side and the others backing the AAP. The PM’s message today was clear that the NDA will coalesce together to defeat the Opposition,” said a party functionary, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The NDA contested the polls in Maharashtra and Delhi, and leaders of all partners were involved in the electioneering process, including canvassing. In Delhi, senior leaders of the TDP, JDU, JDS, Shiv Sena and LJP canvassed for the NDA candidates, of which 68 were from the BJP and one each from the JD(U) and the LJP.

The party is keen to replicate the campaign model in Bihar that goes to the polls later this year and the assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry next year.

“We have already announced that the polls in Bihar will be contested by the NDA under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar. There is consensus among the partners on this...” said the party leader quoted above.

In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the party is working on forming alliances with smaller parties that have a hold over certain vote banks. After the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam walked out of the NDA, a section of party leaders in the state have been pushing for renewing ties with the party ahead of the state polls.

Among those present for the meeting on Thursday were BJP president JP Nadda, Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, Dharmendra Pradhan; Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Bihar deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha; Goa CM Pramod Sawant; and Rajasthan deputy CM Prem Chand Bairwa. Union minister Anupriya Patel of the Apna Dal; Praful Patel of NCP (Ajit Pawar) and Sanjay Jha working president of the JDU were also present.

Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, whose Hindustan Awam Morcha is part of the NDA in Bihar, was not present for the meeting. A senior BJP leader said the HAM leader was in Prayagraj for the ongoing Maha Kumbh. The other leaders who were conspicuous by their absence were the JD(S)’s HD Kumaraswamy, who was reportedly unwell; Union minister and LJP chief Chirag Paswan, who is abroad, and OP Rajbhar of the Suhaldev Bharatiya Samaj Party.