As the dust settles on the recent Lok Sabha election results, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar revealed that the INDIA bloc, comprising opposition parties, has not yet discussed the possibility of engaging with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) or Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) to bolster its strength for government formation.
Pawar's statement comes ahead of a crucial meeting of INDIA bloc leaders scheduled at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence. The gathering aims to assess the election outcome and deliberate on potential strategies, including the prospect of bringing JD(U) and TDP into the alliance fold.
Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP securing a majority in the Lok Sabha, Pawar underscored public discontentment with the Modi government's performance, citing issues such as inflation, agrarian distress, and unemployment.
Responding to queries about engaging with TDP or JD(U), Pawar clarified that such discussions had not yet taken place within the bloc. He emphasized that decisions regarding alliance expansion would be collective, with no personal opinions influencing the outcome.
Given his political stature, Pawar is expected to wield significant influence in shaping the opposition alliance's future course of action. His party, NCP, clinched eight out of the ten seats it contested in Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, former Karnataka Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy expressed skepticism about the INDIA bloc's prospects in forming a government at the Center. Kumaraswamy, who heads the Janata Dal (Secular) in Karnataka, asserted that the NDA, led by BJP, would emerge victorious nationally.
Kumaraswamy's comments come as he prepares to attend the NDA allies’ meeting in New Delhi. He secured victory in the Mandya Parliamentary constituency with a significant margin, further solidifying his position within the political landscape.