New Delhi: Before the NDA stakes claim to form the new governemnt, the newly elected MPs of the BJP-led coalition will meet on Friday to elect Narendra Modi as their leader, sources said.
The NDA MPs will assemble at at 11 AM at Parliament's Central Hall paving the way for PM Modi to take oath as Prime Minister for a third term.
The swearing-in is likely to be held on Sunday, sources said. After Modi is elected the leader of NDA MPs, senior members of the alliance like TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu, JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde will join the prime minister for a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu to present her the list of parliamentarians supporting him, some alliance members said.
The NDA has 293 MPs, comfortably above the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha. Senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda, have also been holding deliberations with allies to work out an amicable formula for their share of representation in the new government, which will critically depend on them for survival.
The BJP leadership has moved swiftly since the June 4 results for government formation to end any sense of uncertainty after the verdict, which was a setback to the ruling party as it lost majority for the first time since 2014 and needs allies' support to maintain its hold on power.
After the meeting, the NDA will stake a claim to form the new government. Before that, all NDA constituents will present letters of support to President Droupadi Murmu, endorsing Modi as the new Prime Minister.
Ahead of the NDA MPs' meeting in Parliament's Central Hall, TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, who has emerged as a kingmaker, has called a meeting with his newly elected lawmakers at 9:30 AM. Following this meeting, the TDP MPs will join the NDA MPs at 11 AM in Central Hall.
Naidu met with his party’s new MPs in Andhra Pradesh yesterday for the first time since the election results were announced. Sources said that during the meeting, TDP MPs were advised to stay united and speak with one voice in Parliament.
According to sources, Naidu told them to stay active and alert on Andhra Pradesh issues in Parliament and urged MPs to set aside any internal differences. Additionally, they were briefed on the NDA meeting and the party's stance.
On Thursday, senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, held discussion to set in motion the government formation efforts. The newly elected MPs of the BJP and NDA constituent parties, Rajya Sabha MPs, Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers of states ruled by the BJP and NDA, floor leaders of legislative assemblies and councils, and national office bearers of the BJP attended the meeting.
