Congress reaches out to Naidu, Nitish as NDA attempts to form alliance government
In a tactical move to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from forming a coalition government, the Congress party has reached out to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal United (JDU) chief Nitish Kumar. Sources say that the outreach has been conducted through multiple channels, and will also include Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a former TDP member. But according to insiders, Congress does not expect immediate action from the TDP or JDU. “The Congress feels it is their duty to reach out, and they have, but they don’t see anything happening right now,” said a party source. But the party believes that keeping communication lines open is seen as a crucial step, given the potential for these allies to reconsider their positions in the coming months. One Congress leader said that if a move happens, then Nitish and Naidu would do it together like a ‘package’ and this can happen in a few months. This development comes as the BJP, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, faces an unexpected challenge. With the BJP securing 240 seats, significantly short of their anticipated 400, Modi finds himself traversing the complex path of coalition politics for the first time in his 23-year political career. Political analysts wonder if Modi has the ability to manage mercurial allies like Nitish and Naidu, both of whom have previously exited the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).Sources indicate that Naidu is poised to leverage this opportunity to demand a special financial package for Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, if the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties led by the Congress, engages with Nitish and Naidu either immediately or in the next six months as it plans to, there will remain the possibility of a significant political shift.Modi’s speech after the election results emphasised the BJP’s historic win in Odisha and the notable gains in Telangana. The NDA also made inroads into Andhra Pradesh with the help of its allies TDP and Jana Sena. The BJP is also celebrating opening its account in Kerala for the first time with actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi’s win in Thrissur. But the setbacks in key states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan loom large.In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP saw its dominance wane as the Samajwadi Party claimed 37 out of 80 seats, a stark contrast to the BJP’s previous tally. West Bengal also delivered a blow, with the Trinamool Congress retaining 29 out of 42 seats, reducing BJP’s count to 12 from 18. Similarly, in Rajasthan and Karnataka, the Congress made significant inroads, capturing several seats from the BJP.
IN a tactical move to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from forming a coalition government, the Congress party has reached out to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal United (JDU) chief Nitish Kumar.
Sources say that the outreach has been conducted through multiple channels, and will also include Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, a former TDP member.
But according to insiders, Congress does not expect immediate action from the TDP or JDU. “The Congress feels it is its duty to reach out, and they have, but they don’t see anything happening right now,” said a party source.
But the party believes that keeping communication lines open is seen as a crucial step, given the potential for these allies to reconsider their positions in the coming months. One Congress leader said that if a move happens, then Nitish and Naidu would do it together like a ‘package’ and this can happen in a few months.
This development comes as the BJP, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, faces an unexpected challenge. With the BJP securing 240 seats, significantly short of their anticipated 400, Modi finds himself traversing the complex path of coalition politics for the first time in his 23-year political career. Political analysts wonder if Modi can manage mercurial allies like Nitish and Naidu, both of whom have previously exited the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Sources indicate that Naidu is poised to leverage this opportunity to demand a special financial package for Andhra Pradesh. Meanwhile, if the INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties led by the Congress, engages with Nitish and Naidu either immediately or in the next six months as it plans to, there will remain the possibility of a significant political shift.
Modi’s speech after the election results emphasised the aBJP’s historic win in Odisha and the notable gains in Telangana. The NDA also made inroads into Andhra Pradesh with the help of its allies TDP and Jana Sena. The BJP is also celebrating opening its account in Kerala for the first time with actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi’s win in Thrissur. But the setbacks in key states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan loom large.
In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP saw its dominance wane as the Samajwadi Party claimed 37 out of 80 seats, a stark contrast to the BJP’s previous tally. West Bengal also delivered a blow, with the Trinamool Congress retaining 29 out of 42 seats, reducing BJP’s count to 12 from 18. Similarly, in Rajasthan and Karnataka, the Congress made significant inroads, capturing several seats from the BJP.
