Govt formation: Modi may take oath on June 9; INDIA bloc's Sule says 'there is always hope'

The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena has denied rumors, declaring that it will stick with the INDIA alliance and not join the NDA again. With nine seats secured, the Shiv Sena (UBT) is now matched with the BJP as Maharashtra’s second-largest party. The party’s Eknath Shinde faction managed to secure just seven seats, which has greatly boosted the party’s morale.

The Congress has convened a meeting of its working committee on June 8 to discuss the Lok Sabha poll result and future course of action.

Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan asserted on Thursday that all the NDA partners are determined to make Narendra Modi the prime minister for a landmark third consecutive term.

“I’ve no demand from Modi ji, our goal was to make him PM and we are committed for it,” Chirag Paswan told the media.

BJP leadership agrees to give one cabinet post, two MoS positions to TDP at Centre. Andhra Pradesh to get special financial package from central government. BJP will get Two Ministries in Andhra Pradesh Govt.
Chandrababu Naidu to reach Delhi shortly.

NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Thursday said the INDIA bloc has decided to ‘wait and watch’ as the BJP is set to form the next government, but there is always hope as the Opposition alliance’s tally of seats in the new Lok Sabha is “encouraging”.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal slammed Rahul Gandhi and called his allegations “absolutely baseless”. He claimed that the former Congress president was attempting to instill fear among investors. In response to Gandhi’s accusations, Goyal said that the Congress party was plotting to discredit the BJP and emphasized how the market has thrived under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.

Following a crucial meeting in Delhi yesterday, where his allies selected him as their leader, Narendra Modi is scheduled to take the oath of office as prime minister for the third time in a row on Saturday.

Invites to the oath ceremony from prominent South Asian leaders are indicative of the government’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ strategy.

In a letter to Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday, BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari claimed that 10,000 BJP workers and their families were seeking safety in BJP party offices and safehouses following alleged post-election violence that the Trinamool Congress had instigated on June 4.

He asked Bose to travel to several locations in Bengal, including ten areas where BJP employees are said to have been the victim of twenty instances.

Adhikari claimed that central soldiers stationed in Bengal are not being used by the state government led by the TMC.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi leveled several grave accusations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation into the stock market crash on June 4.

Chirag Paswan told the media today that he supports caste census and a review of the Agnipath scheme. His party pulled off a stunning victory by capturing all five Lok Sabha seats that it ran for. After JDU, Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is the second NDA ally to advocate for the caste census and Agnipath review.

Congress has convened its working committee meeting on June 8. The meeting will be chaired by Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge.

Sources told News18 that party leaders will discuss the outcome of the Lok Sabha election results during the meeting. The grand old party has won 99 seats.

Hectic parleys are ongoing in New Delhi ahead of the formation of the new government. Narendra Modi has got support from Telugu Desam Party (TDP) boss Chandrababu Naidu and Janata Dal (United)’s Nitish Kumar. It’s a big relief. But conditions apply.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which has only 240 seats, needs the backing of its alliance partners to cross the majority mark of 272. Together, they have 293.

#WATCH | Mumbai | Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde meets newly elected MPs at Varsha bungalow

(Video source: CMO) pic.twitter.com/jkbysCZl7z

— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2024

Faizabad’s newly elected MP Awadhesh Prasad from the Samajwadi Party has said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not a ‘real’ ram devotee, referring to the party’s loss in Ayodhya.

BJP’s Lallu Singh lost Faizabad, which includes Ayodhya, to Prasad by 54,567 votes.

“The BJP did politics in the name of Ayodhya. They have worked against the dignity of Maryada Purushottam Ram,” Prasad said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies, including Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), Andhra Pradesh CM-to-be Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP, are learned to have placed their demands to join the third Modi government. The constituents are reportedly negotiating with the BJP ministerial berths including some key Cabinet portfolios.

China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry wished Prime Minister Narendra Modi on BJP-led NDA’s victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

“A healthy and stable China-India relationship is in the interest of both countries, and conducive to the peace and development in this region and beyond. China stands ready to work with India to act in the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples, bear in mind the overall interest of our ties, look to the future and advance bilateral relations on a healthy and stable track,” the ministry said.

Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas Chief Chirag Paswan has said that the party has not made any demands to the National Democratic Alliance regarding the allocation of cabinet berths.

“I refute all such things. There is no demand. There can be no demand because our goal was to make the PM, the Prime Minister (again). All allies played an honest role in this. This privilege (allotting cabinet berths) lies with the Prime Minister…So, there is no demand by any ally party,” Paswan said.

Paswan’s party won all the five seats it contested in Bihar.

#WATCH | Delhi: On reports of his party demanding 2-3 cabinet berths in the NDA Government, LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan says, "I refute all such things. There is no demand. There can be no demand because our goal was to make the PM, the Prime Minister (again). All allies… pic.twitter.com/Ktfm2GLS7m

— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2024

Speculation has been rife about what Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United (JDU) president Nitish Kumar’s stand would be in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which got a majority in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Social media is flooded with memes about Nitish Kumar’s future moves. Dubbed “Paltu Ram” by his arch-rival in Bihar Lalu Pradesh, Nitish has shifted his loyalties from one coalition to another since the rise of Narendra Modi in national politics in 2013.

As many as 251 (46 per cent) of the 543 newly elected Lok Sabha members have criminal cases registered against them and 27 of them have been convicted, according to an analysis by poll rights body Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR).

This is the highest number of candidates facing criminal charges to be elected to the Lower House.

With inputs from PTI

Among the many demands JDU has put forth before NDA, one is to review the Agniveer scheme.

“A section of voters has been upset over the Agniveer scheme. Our party wants those shortcomings which have been questioned by the public to be discussed in detail and removed…On UCC, as the national president of the party, CM had written to the Law Commission chief. We are not against it but a solution should be found by talking to all stakeholders,” JDU spokesperson KC Tyagi said.

#WATCH | JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi says, "A section of voters has been upset over the Agniveer scheme. Our party wants those shortcomings which have been questioned by the public to be discussed in detail and removed...On UCC, as the national president of the party, CM had… pic.twitter.com/KBKbmJHXZL

— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2024

After resigning on Wednesday, prep is underway for Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, which is likely to take place on 8 June. Modi is all set to take charge as the prime minister for a historic third consecutive term with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning 293 seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

People familiar with the developments surrounding Modi’s swearing-in have said that invitations have been sent out to a number of world leaders of India’s neighbouring countries, including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony has reportedly been postponed by a day, sources told News18. The oath-taking ceremony will now be held on June 9 as opposed to June 8.

More leaders including Piyush Goyal, Pralhad Joshi and Mansukh Mandaviya have started arriving at BJP Chief JP Nadda’s residence for a key meeting.

Sources told News18 that the meeting is being held to review the preparations for the Modi government’s swearing-in ceremony.

Earlier today, Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah went to Nadda’s residence.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered his ministers to complete all public-related tasks within the stipulated time frame or face punishment.

During the Janata Darshan held by CM Yogi at his residence, several distressed people of the state addressed their grievances following which the chief minister ordered the immediate completion of tasks and emphasised that “any negligence in these matters would not be tolerated.”

This is the first meeting the leader held after BJP suffered setback in Uttar Pradesh.

When asked if the INDIA bloc would form the government at centre, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “Loktantra mein ginti jab hoti hai, toh aas aur ummeed kabhi khatm nahi honi chahiye. Aas hamesha bani rehni chahiye, ummeed hamesha rehni chahiye.”

#WATCH | When asked about chances for INDIA Alliance to form the government, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav says, "...Loktantra mein ginti jab hoti hai, toh aas aur ummeed kabhi khatm nahi honi chahiye. Aas hamesha bani rehni chahiye, ummeed hamesha rehni chahiye." pic.twitter.com/VdGQjI3eXI

— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2024

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wished Narendra Modi for his electoral victory, saying his country “stands ready” to work with the Modi government.

“Congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his electoral victory. Canada stands ready to work with his government to advance the relationship between our nations’ peoples—anchored to human rights, diversity, and the rule of law.” – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

— CanadianPM (@CanadianPM) June 5, 2024

According to reports, Congress is mulling to make Rahul Gandhi the leader of the opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha. The final decision will be taken in the Congress Parliamentary Meeting.

Till now, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was the LoP but after his defeat from the West Bengal Bahrampur seat, the post will be given to another leader.

Until late last evening (5 June), there was conjecture whether the INDI Alliance, the main Opposition grouping, would try to stake claim to government formation. This even as reports emerged that the Narendra Modi-led NDA government would most likely be sworn in on 8 June.