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Game of psychology: NDA to hold 38-party meet today

  • TNI Team

    • BJP national president JP Nadda

    NEW DELHI: With less than a year to go before the Lok Sabha election, the battle of one-upmanship between the ruling National Democratic Alliance, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and opposition parties has begun in full swing.

    In a significant development, BJP national president JP Nadda revealed that 38 parties will participate in the party’s grand show of strength in Delhi.

    “The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting will be held on July 18, 2023, Tuesday evening in New Delhi. The NDA meeting will be attended by 38 political parties that are partners in the alliance and come from almost all the states in the country,” Nadda said.

    Coinciding with the Opposition’s unity meeting in Bengaluru, this gathering aims to consolidate support and project the BJP’s influence ahead of the upcoming general elections.

    Many believe the BJP’s tally of 38 parties surpasses the opposition’s tally of 26 giving the former a psychological advantage as the battle for 2024 is slowly taking shape.

    Nadda highlighted the growth and expansion of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the years. He attributed this progress to the people’s increasing desire to prioritise developmental agendas and praised the effective governance provided under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    “Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, the influence of the National Democratic Alliance has grown across the country in the past nine years. Under the leadership and guidance of PM Modi, all the constituents of the NDA are committed to unitedly taking forward the country’s growth and progress. Under the banner of the NDA, political parties from all corners of our country are contributing to the nation’s growth and prosperity. To fulfil the aspirations and wishes of the people of India, the National Democratic Alliance is expanding and making historic progress,” he added.

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    Notably, the BJP’s outreach to its allies came after the opposition held its inaugural unity meeting in Patna last month. While the opposition claims that its unity movement, inspired by the JP movement of the 1970s, has unsettled the BJP, the ruling party has been strategically advancing its plans.

    Bihar has been a primary focus for the BJP, especially after Nitish Kumar’s departure from the NDA, which left only the fragmented Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) aligned with the BJP. Currently, the BJP is making efforts to reconcile differences between Chirag Paswan and his uncle, a move that could secure them the support of the influential Paswan vote bank, comprising six per cent of the population.

    Interestingly, Nadda also took to Twitter to announce that LJP (Ram Vilas) had joined the NDA fold. The move comes after LJP (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan met Union Home minister Amit Shah and Nadda on the day.

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    Additionally, three more parties from Bihar, namely Upendra Singh Kushwaha of the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party, Mukesh Sahani of the Vikassheel Insaan Party, and Jitan Ram Manjhi of Hindustani Awam Morcha, are expected to join the NDA.

    In Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP already possesses a strong presence with its massive 80-seat tally, the party has managed to secure the support of another ally, the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party led by Om Prakash Rajbhar. This move is seen as an attempt to compensate for any potential losses in Bihar.

    While key allies like AIADMK and Tamil Manila Congress in Tamil Nadu and Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP in Maharashtra are expected to maintain their seat counts in these major states, the BJP has also nurtured its alliances in the northeast.

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    The BJP has successfully governed the northeastern states with the support of seven parties, including the NPP (National People’s Party Meghalaya), NDPP (Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party), SKM (Sikkim Krantikari Morcha), MNF (Mizo National Front), ITFT (Tripura), BPP (Bodo People’s Party) and AGP (Asom Gana Parishad).

    Additionally, the BJP has gained new allies, such as actor Pawan Kalyan’s Jansena and the faction of Kerala Congress – Kerala Congress (Thomas). The latter had previously exited the NDA in 2021, citing seat-sharing difficulties, but has since renewed its alliance with the BJP.

    The comprehensive list of allies illuminates the BJP’s strategic trajectory. While already dominant in most northern states, the party has been diligently expanding its influence in the south, west, and northeast regions. In crucial states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the BJP aims to broaden its footprint by incorporating parties that hold influence among backward classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes.

    Terming that NDS is for the service of the nation and not for power, the BJP national president said, “NDA is an ideal political alliance. NDA is an alliance not to grab power but to serve the country and the people. The NDA is an alliance to strengthen and unite the country and to take the nation forward.”

    Attacking the opposition alliance, Nadda said, “The Congress and the UPA is ‘Bhanumati ka kunba’ (unrealistic and opportunistic alliance). The opposition alliance has no leader, no policy, no agenda, no commitment, no vision and no intention. Their only aim is to grab power and serve their own interests.”

    “Opposition alliance is just meant for photo opportunities. All these parties in the so-called UPA have vested interests. They have joined hands to save themselves from massive corruption cases, which are in the tune of ₹20 lakh crores, against them,” he added.

    Showing confidence about the 2024 Lok Sabha election, Nadda said, “The nation has already made up its mind that in 2024, India will move ahead under the decisive and visionary leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The unity of the NDA is unbreakable and it is meant for the welfare and development of our country. The National Democratic Alliance is also committed to moving ahead under the leadership of our Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”

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