Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he’s pretty sure that his team (NDA) will win more than 400 seats, and his party (BJP) should get at least 370 seats in the upcoming elections. He thinks other parties are scared to compete and might stay in the opposition for a long time. Modi also pointed fingers at the Congress party, blaming them for not doing a good job as the opposition.
Addressing the Lok Sabha during the Motion of Thanks on President’s Address debate, the Prime Minister confidently stated, “I sense the nation’s sentiment, and I believe NDA will secure over 400 seats, with BJP aiming for a minimum of 370 seats.” He also added, “The third term of the government was not too far.” With around 100-125 days left until the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Modi remarked, “Abki baar,” and in chorus, BJP members echoed the slogan “400 paar,” indicating their collective ambition for surpassing the 400-seat mark.
Following the successful alliance with Nitish Kumar in Bihar, the BJP leadership is now focusing on expanding its influence in West Uttar Pradesh. The target is the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), led by Jayant Chaudhary, the grandson of the late Chaudhary Charan Singh, as the BJP aims to strengthen the NDA coalition under its leadership.
In the midst of political uncertainty, the Samajwadi Party (SP) extends an offer of seven seats each to both the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), creating a buzz in political circles. Jayant Chaudhary, leader of RLD, receives a proposal for four seats in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav’s decision to join the Congress yatra adds complexity to the evolving political scenario, suggesting substantial changes in the upcoming political landscape.
Akhilesh Yadav, who leads the Samajwadi Party, is worried that Jayant Choudhary’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) might not stay committed to supporting farmers. There are talks about how RLD could change its plan and join the BJP-led group (NDA), causing concern in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
BJP Offer
According to Yadav, BJP is allegedly offering 4 Lok Sabha seats to the RLD, a common view is that Jayant Choudhary, being an experienced and educated politician, is expected to understand politics well. There’s optimism that he won’t weaken the fight for farmers’ welfare.
Dimple Yadav, a Samajwadi Party MP, expressed optimism that Choudhary Charan Singh’s party would not make decisions against farmers’ interests. She dismissed rumors, stating, “RLD has consistently supported farmers, and I believe Jayant Chaudhary won’t take any steps against their welfare.”
Shivpal Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle, expressed confidence in Jayant Singh’s secular values, stating, “I know Jayant very well. They (RLD) are secular-minded individuals. BJP is simply spreading misinformation through the media. RLD will continue to be part of the INDIA alliance and defeat the BJP.”
Trilok Tyagi, RLD’s organizational general secretary, dismissed the idea of RLD teaming up with BJP, saying, “Yes, BJP approached us earlier, but our alliance with SP is solid.” He added, “The buzz created by BJP indicates their acceptance that their support might decrease now.” We asked for eight seats from SP but were given seven,” admitted Tyagi. RLD’s national secretary, Rajkumar Sangwan, clarified, “SP wants to field its candidates using RLD’s symbol for Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, and Bijnor seats, but it doesn’t mean RLD is leaving the alliance. We trust SP leadership will be flexible, and any issues between the parties will be resolved.”
On the other side, the ruling ‘party is now looking towards the south and is reportedly considering an electoral alliance with Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh. In the south, TDP leader Naidu arrived in Delhi on Wednesday evening, planning discussions with Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP chief J.P. Nadda. There’s a chance Naidu might also meet Modi if talks proceed as anticipated by the BJP.
Naidu ended ties with the BJP before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections due to the disagreement over granting special status to Andhra after the split of the former state and the formation of Telangana.
Sources suggest that although some leaders are against a collaboration, the top leadership of both parties is interested. Regarding the TDP, while a partnership with JSP may offer more electoral benefits, its leadership views a friendly alliance with the BJP as a safeguard, particularly in terms of potential investigations by central agencies.
A partnership with the TDP would be advantageous for the BJP, potentially securing wins in some Lok Sabha seats. “The perception would shift. For instance, if the BJP contests five out of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in alliance with the TDP, it could expect to win at least three seats with the TDP’s support,” a source explained.
Speculation about the TDP re-joining the NDA started in July last year when the party replaced its state chief Somu Veeraju with Daggubati Purandareswari, former Andhra Pradesh CM N T Rama Rao’s daughter and Naidu’s sister-in-law. Veeraju and other party leaders were against joining with the TDP, viewing Naidu as “unreliable and opportunistic.”
