Nitish, Tejashwi on the same flight, BJP fears coup, Naidu says so far with NDA

As the political equation is being formed in the respective coalitions under INDIA and NDA with the hope of forming a government at the Centre, the BJP, with the potential to form the government with its allies, remains the single largest party, having a good number of seats. Meanwhile, the Congress is also in touch with its political opponents, with an expanding possibility of forming a government.

Amid this developing stage, interesting news emerged of former allies Nitish Kumar, the leader of JD(U), and Tejashwi Yadav, head of the RJD, being spotted on-board the same flight to New Delhi to attend their respective coalition meetings.

It is critical for the BJP to stay attuned to its coalition allies to form the government, given the shortage of the required number. Simultaneously, the BJP is also pessimistic about its allies, particularly Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), as it fears the political strategy it had successfully used to pursue winners from other political parties to switch to its side could also be used against it. The INDIA leaders were reported to have contacted Kumar, who also allegedly feels inferior to Modi’s tangible superiority.

As the dust settled on the electoral battlefield, it became evident that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term, the BJP fell short of the majority mark, clinching 240 seats. With the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) securing 293 seats overall, the stage was set for intense political manoeuvring.

The emergence of the INDIA bloc, which secured an unexpected 233 seats, threw a curveball into the political landscape. The Congress party, leading the Opposition alliance, refrained from outrightly dismissing the possibility of exploring government formation options.

Both the NDA and the INDIA bloc swiftly convened meetings with their respective allies in the capital. Among the key players poised to shape the future government, Nitish Kumar and Telugu Desam Party's (TDP) Chandrababu Naidu stood out as potential kingmakers. With the BJP eyeing a coalition government after a decade, alliances and allegiances were under intense scrutiny.

Reports surfaced indicating that both the TDP and JD(U) were lobbying for the coveted Speaker's post as a form of insurance in the new government setup. Notably, these parties had previously aligned with the Congress. While the TDP was part of the UPA alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls before switching to the NDA in 2024, Nitish Kumar's JD(U) had initially been with the INDIA bloc before defecting to the NDA in January 2024, triggering a government change in Bihar.

Meanwhile, N Chandrababu Naidu, president of the TDP, asserted the party's commitment to the NDA despite their landslide victory in Andhra Pradesh. With the TDP-led NDA alliance securing an impressive 164 out of 175 seats in the state Assembly elections and 16 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats, Naidu emphasized their unwavering support to the coalition.

Naidu's announcement coincided with his plans to attend the NDA meeting in Delhi, where discussions on government formation and strategy were expected to take centre stage. Additionally, Naidu revealed intentions to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other BJP leaders to his upcoming swearing-in ceremony at Amaravati on June 9.

Expressing gratitude to the Jana Sena Party (JSP) and the BJP for their support, Naidu credited their concerted efforts to ensure victory against anti-incumbency sentiments in Andhra Pradesh. Amidst the jubilation over what he termed a "historic mandate," Naidu underscored the challenges faced by the people under the incumbent Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) regime.