Friday, Apr 26, 2024 | Last Update : 05:59 AM IST
NDA backs Modi, gears up for 2019 Lok Sabha polls
Naidu said NDA allies are committed to working in tandem to win the 2019 elections under Modi’s leadership.
New Delhi: Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, 33 ruling NDA constituents, including Shiv Sena, on Monday vowed to contest the 2019 electoral battle under his leadership. The NDA partners also passed a resolution at the meeting, endorsing Modi government policies and identified “clean and corruption-free governance” provided by the BJP-led dispensation as its biggest achievement. NDA leaders also resolved to strengthen the alliance by expanding its base. However, there was no discussion on the coming presidential election as it was “not on the agenda.” The meeting was followed by dinner hosted by the Prime Minister.
The dinner diplomacy also saw BJP and its key ally Shiv Sena trying to thrash out differences with president of both outfits — Amit Shah and Uddhav Thackeray — holding a separate meeting ahead of the main meeting at the Pravasi Bharatiya Bhawan. The relationship between the two has been strained ever since the BJP staked claim for the chief minister’s post in Maharashtra, a state where Sena till then was considered as the senior partner.
Amid speculations that the NDA partners would discuss coming presidential and vice-president elections, Union minister Arun Jaitley said that it was “not on the agenda.” TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, who also briefed the media along with Mr Jaitley, said NDA partners will collectively take a call on the presidential election whenever the issue will be deliberated upon.
“The NDA allies also passed a resolution to work together to win a second term under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Modi in 2019,” said Mr Jaitley.
Mr Naidu said NDA allies are committed to working in tandem to win the 2019 elections under Mr Modi’s leadership.
Mr Shah gave the inaugural address, leaders of other parties including SAD chief Parkash Singh Badal, Mr Naidu, LJP’s Ram Vilas Paswan, Mr Thackeray also addressed the gathering. PDP leader and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti could not attend the meeting and a representative deputised for her.
