Narendra Modi meets President Murmu, stakes claim to form NDA Government

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, June 7

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met President Droupadi Murmu and staked claim to form the next government with NDA party leaders giving letters of support in his favour.

Before moving to Rashtrapati Bhavan Modi sought blessings of veterans LK Advani and MM Joshi who were pillars of the NDA alliance when it was first formed.

With the staking of claim Modi is all set to become the only prime minister after Jawaharlal Nehru to return to PMO thrice in a row.

This is the first time an incumbent government is entering a third term in India since 1962.

Earlier, the National Democratic Alliance leaders left for the Rashtrapati Bhavan moments after electing Narendra Modi their leader, paving the way for the return of the BJP-led NDA 3.0.

PM Modi, TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, JDU president Nitish Kumar and other alliance partners leaders left the Central Hall of Parliament around 2.30 pm.

Earlier, Modi described the NDA as the most successful pre-poll alliance in India’s coalition history saying it had completed three full five-year terms in its life of 30 years and was entering upon a third.

Pledging strong interlinkage between national interest and regional aspirations in his speech after being endorsed as leader of the NDA in Lok Sabha, Narendra Modi said “this interlinking between regional aspirations and national interest should be such that even air cannot pass through it.”

Modi was addressing alliance partners Naidu and Nitish who showered generous praises on him while endorsing his leadership of the ruling alliance today and flagged the need for regional aspirations to be addressed along with national interests.

All allies offered unequivocal support to Modi with Naidu saying, “We are lucky to have the right leader at the right time” and Nitish Kumar, known for his flip flops, professing to stay with the NDA “all the way and to listen to and do whatever the PM says.”

“Aur Bihar kaa kaam toh ho hi jayega,” said Nitish while supporting the resolution moved by defence minister Rajnath Singh proposing Modi as the leader of the NDA, of the BJP and of the Lok Sabha.

Rajnath Singh described the NDA alliance as one “driven by commitment and not compulsion.”

Prime Minister Modi in his acceptance speech said “NDA was in power, is in power and will remain in power.”

Modi also frame his speech saying “for the next ten years”, a signal that he would continue to power the coalition in the period beyond the five-year term as well.

“Ours will be a term dedicated to big decisions and fast-paced development. India cannot stay in isolation now. The role of India is growing in the world which is evident from the fact that all major world leaders greeted me upon re-election,” said Modi in an over one-and-a-half-hour long speech.

Modi called NDA “New India, Developed India, Aspirational India” and recalled his association with the bloc from times when he was a simple party worker.

Saluting the founders of NDA, from Atal Behari Vajpayee to Parkash Singh Badal, Modi said, “The seed our great leaders sowed has become a vast tree today.”

The PM also took the occasion to attack the Congress-led INDIA bloc accusing it of hatching a conspiracy on poll eve to discredit the Indian electoral process worldwide.

“On result day I was wondering whether the EVMs are dead or alive. Thankfully, till the next elections EVMs will get a breather. But the way the Opposition created hurdles in the way of EC making it spend much of its energy at peak election time in addressing matters before the SC, this is a very serious concern. But the strength of Indian democracy has been proved once again and the world will also believe in NDA’s Maha Vijay (massive win) now,” Modi said.

Hailing his allies, he said all NDA partners stood out for good governance, be it Naidu or Nitish.

On a lighter vein, the PM also advised MPs “not to get taken in by the gossip mongers who are busy forming the government these days.”

“All the NDA partners are here. They will advise me well and we will do the right thing. Do not believe if someone tells you to be ready to come to Delhi. Verify four times,” Modi said.