From Bihar to Andhra Pradesh, NDA partners extend support to PM Modi

Ahead of the crucial National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting on government formation at the Centre, most alliance partners have expressed their willingness to continue supporting the BJP-led government.

Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJPRV) chief Chirag Paswan, who has been elected from the Hajipur constituency in Bihar, said that his party and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are committed to the NDA alliance for government formation.

“No doubt, we have missed the target, but the NDA is united. I have spoken to my chief minister (Nitish Kumar) as well, and the government will be formed soon. Narendra Modi will continue to serve as Prime Minister for a third consecutive term,” Paswan said.

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In Bihar, under the seat-sharing pact, the LJP was allocated five seats including Hajipur, Vaishali, Jamui, Samastipur, and Khagaria. Party candidates have won all these seats.

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde said the NDA has already achieved the numbers required to prove the majority and that Narendra Modi will lead the new government.

“Under Narendra Modi’s leadership, the NDA will form the government at the Centre. I am here (in New Delhi) to extend my support to him. Those who don’t have the numbers are talking about government formation,” said Shinde.

Shiv Sena has won seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra including Buldhana, Aurangabad, Kalyan, Thane, Mumbai North West, Maval, and Hatkanangale.

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu, whose party won 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh, has also asserted that he will be joining the NDA.

“We are in the NDA. I am going for an NDA meeting,” Naidu said in his media briefing.

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Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar, who was earlier seen sitting with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on a flight, has also reiterated that the NDA will form the government at the Centre. JDU has won 12 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

The Lok Sabha polls for 543 seats were held in seven phases starting from April 19, with the last phase on June 1. The Bharatiya Janata Party has 240 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, while its partners have won 53 seats including TDP (16), JDU (12), Shiv Sena (7), LJPRV (5), JD-S (2), JNP (2), RLD (2), ADAL (1), AGP (1), AJSUP (1), HAMS (1), NCP (1), SKM (1), and UPPL (1).