The process for formation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government would gather full steam from May 20 when Narendra Modi will formally be elected as the leader of the BJP parliamentary Party and a date will be formally announced for his swearing-in ceremony as the new Prime Minister of India.
The decision was taken at the BJP Parliamentary Board, the highest decision-making body of the party chaired by BJP chief Rajnath Singh, after Modi arrived here to a rousing welcome right from the airport to the BJP headquarters amidst slogan-shouting supporters and showering of petals.
In a brief address to the media, Rajnath said no date has been fixed for the swearing-in of Modi as the Prime Minister. “It will be decided after the Parliamentary Party meeting,” he said. According to sources in the party, since the date of May 21 set for oath taking was clashing with the death anniversary of late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the BJP decided to have a re-think on the date.
Rajnath said NDA allies will also be invited for a meeting on the same day where Modi will be chosen as leader of the coalition. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu has already communicated that his party is willing to join the BJP-led Government at the Centre. Naidu would be present on May 20 when the NDA partners are to meet.
An announcement regarding the successor of Modi as Gujarat Chief Minister is also expected next week when Modi is designated as Prime Minister. Anandi Patel, 74, the second-most important Minister in the Modi Cabinet in Gujarat, holding the portfolios of Revenue, Urban Development, Roads and Building, is being perceived as the chosen one though there are other contenders too for the top post in the State.
The Gujarat Government has called a special session of the legislative Assembly on May 21 to bid farewell to Chief Minister Modi, Modi was applauded in the BJP Parliamentary Board which adopted a resolution hailing his “tireless efforts and inspirational leadership.” Besides Modi and Rajnath, lK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj and other top leaders, who are members of the Board, attended the meeting lasting over an hour.
“It was this inspirational and visionary leadership which caught the imagination of the people of India and they reposed faith in it”, said the resolution .It underlined that India needs a Government which is effectively governed and puts the country on a high growth track and sets highest standards of probity.The BJP wants to build a country which is strong, self-respecting and self-reliant, the resolution said.Stressing that the JD(U) remains the single-largest party and will form the Government under a new leader, he rejected suggestions that Kumar quit fearing a split in the party.
When asked if the non-BJP ‘secular alliance’ meant that the hatchet with lalu Prasad would be buried, he said: “It’s the question of the country. So if there are old differences, they do not pose a problem.”“All of them (differences) will be over and the battle will begin from there. Bihar is the place from where most agitations and new paths emerge. There are all kinds of secular people and all will participate in that,” he said.
Kumar rejected contentions that he resigned fearing the collapse of his Government and said there was no threat to the survival of his Government. “As of now there is no problem on survival of my Government in the State Assembly but I resigned on moral grounds,” he said.
In the 243 members State Assembly, the JD(U) has 115 members and is surviving with the support of four Congress, one CPI and five Independent MlAs. The BJP has 91 members whereas the RJD has 22 MlAs.“I’ve not recommended dissolution of the State Assembly as we’ve got the numbers to run the Government. Now the ball is in Governor’s court and let him and others decided what and how they want to run the Government in Bihar,” he told reporters.
Kumar also said that ways were open for any alternative Government to be formed”. “But, I’ve said goodbye.”Earlier in the day, Kumar had a long meeting with Sharad Yadav and senior party leaders at his residence.Significantly, Kumar also reiterated that his decision to snap ties with BJP on June 16 was totally right and taken on political principle he follows.
He also lamented the nature of the poll campaign in the lok Sabha elections. “There was complete polarization on communal lines which I’d never seen in any election campaign in my entire political career. It’s not a good sign for the country,” he said making oblique reference towards BJP’s poll campaign strategy.He also mocked at BJP’s poll campaign catch line “aache din aane wale hain” and said that he too was eagerly waiting for those good days to come.
“I wish them all my good wishes for the good days to come and also for getting a clear mandate”, he said.Meanwhile, party insiders told The Pioneer that Kumar took this decision to put pressure on disgruntled MlAs and also to save his face for drubbing in the lok Sabha poll. His party could win just two seats Nalanda and Purnea. Even in the by-poll for five assembly constituencies which went to election along with the lok Sabha poll the JD-U could win just one seat of Kochadhaman. The BJP too won just one seat of Maharajganj whereas the RJD bagged three eats of Baisi, Sahebpur Kamal and Chiraiya.
With some JD(U) leaders openly expressing their voice of dissent against Nitish, speculation was rife that a major block of the JD-U MlAs was in touch with BJP to defect. The state BJP chief Mangal Pandey on Saturday claimed that many JD-U leaders were in touch with his party.Senor JD-U leader and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh had openly questioned Kumar’s leadership and was said to be ready to defect from the party along with others. On Thursday when Nitish Kumar had called a Cabinet meeting, five out of 14 Ministers, including Narendra Singh did not turn up.