Coalition dharma

ADDRESSING a meeting of the NDA parliamentary party, which elected him as its leader on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that he would strive to ensure unanimity in all decisions of his government during his third term. The PM has described the NDA as an organic alliance committed to the principle of ‘nation first’, while claiming that this is the ‘strongest’ ruling coalition ever. This is the first time that Modi will be leading a genuine coalition government; the BJP had single-handedly crossed the half-way mark in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but fell short of the magic figure this time. It now needs the support of allies like N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) to form the government. Both regional satraps are expected to not only extract their pound of flesh but also keep the BJP-led dispensation on its toes.

The PM has said that mutual trust is at the core of the NDA. This trust will be put to the test as the government gets down to brass tacks. Over the past decade, the ruling BJP has steamrollered one Bill after another through Parliament, thanks to compliant allies and a weak Opposition. However, neither the saffron party’s partners nor rivals will be a pushover this time. Buoyed by its electoral success, the Congress-led INDIA will miss no chance to corner the government on the Agnipath scheme, the Uniform Civil Code and other pressing issues.

The all-important question is: Will the lack of a brute majority make PM Modi and the BJP more accommodative of the needs and aspirations of their allies and less dismissive of their political opponents? Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a legendary proponent of coalition dharma, believed in taking everyone along and building consensus. It remains to be seen if Modi can reinvent himself to fill those big shoes.