New Delhi: Before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s inauguration for a third consecutive term, the recently elected MPs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will gather today to settle on the roster of cabinet ministers.

Tomorrow evening, PM Modi will be sworn in, along with members of his new cabinet, at a grand ceremony. He will be the first Prime Minister to serve three consecutive terms since Congress stalwart Jawaharlal Nehru.

Met our valued NDA partners. Ours is an alliance that will further national progress and fulfil regional aspirations. We will serve the 140 crore people of India and work towards building a Viksit Bharat. pic.twitter.com/ENo9b5ye4J

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 5, 2024

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In the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP secured 240 seats, falling short of the majority mark by 32 seats. The support of four allies is crucial for the BJP to reach the majority: N Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, which won 16 seats, Nitish Kumar’s JDU with 12 seats, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena with 7 seats, and Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas with 5 seats.

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TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and JDU’s Nitish Kumar, who have emerged as kingmakers at this crucial juncture, publicly accepted yesterday the proposal to elect Mr. Modi as the alliance’s prime ministerial candidate. It is understood that they have also provided written support to PM Modi, amid speculations that Opposition leaders could approach them in an attempt to stake their own claim.

The focus is now on negotiations between the BJP and its two crucial allies – TDP and JD(U) – both vying for significant posts at the Centre. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction and Chirag Paswan’s LJP are also seeking important portfolios in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new cabinet.

The INDIA bloc, meanwhile, surprised exit pollsters by posing a real challenge to the BJP in the national election, marking the first significant opposition since the ‘Modi wave’ brought the BJP to power in 2014. The opposition alliance ended up with 232 seats, which is 40 seats short of the 272-majority mark. The Congress, leading the INDIA opposition bloc in this election, secured 99 seats out of the 328 seats it contested.

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