BJP-led alliance picks Modi as leader, swearing-in likely on June 8

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) named Narendra Modi as its leader for a third consecutive term on Wednesday, a day after regaining power with a slim majority in the Indian elections.

Modi, who has led Indian politics since 2014, will head a government reliant on regional allies, whose support has varied, potentially complicating the new cabinet's reform plans.

Following the election outcome, Modi submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu after the cabinet recommended the dissolution of parliament, marking the first step before forming a new government.

A meeting of 15 parties in the NDA at Modi's residence followed, where he was formally chosen to lead the alliance.

The NDA won 293 seats in the 543-member lower house of parliament, more than the 272 needed to form a government.

"We all unanimously choose respected NDA leader Narendra Modi as our leader," a BJP-issued alliance statement said. It stated that the NDA government would "preserve India's heritage" and work for the "all-round development of the country."

Modi is set to meet Murmu again on Friday to present his claim to form a government, and the swearing-in could take place over the weekend, an NDA leader told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Local media reported that the ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 8.

The Election Commission of India has declared results for all Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament) constituencies, with the BJP winning 240 of the 543 seats and the Congress 99.

The BJP, whose candidates contested in the name of Modi, won in 240 seats, falling short of the 272 majority mark and needing the support of allies in the party-led NDA for government formation, a far cry from the 303 and 282 seats it had won in 2019 and 2014, respectively, to have a majority on its own.

With support from key allies N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), which won 16 and 12 seats in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, respectively, and other alliance partners, the NDA crossed the halfway mark.

(Agencies)