NDA MPs gather to elect PM Modi as their leader, paving way for third term

Newly elected MPs of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance arrived at Parliament complex on Friday to elect Narendra Modi as their leader, paving the way for him to take oath as prime minister for a third term.

Besides NDA MPs, senior leaders of the alliance, including chief ministers, will be part of the meeting where BJP president J P Nadda is expected to propose a resolution in support of Modi's leadership, with allies and MPs likely to endorse it.

After Modi is elected the leader of NDA MPs, senior members of the alliance like TDP's N Chandrababu Naidu, JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde will join the prime minister for a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu to present her the list of parliamentarians supporting him, some alliance members said.

The swearing-in is likely to be held on Sunday, sources said.

The NDA has 293 MPs, comfortably above the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nadda, have also been holding deliberations with allies to work out an amicable formula for their share of representation in the new government, which will critically depend on them for survival.

The BJP leadership has moved swiftly since the June 4 results for government formation to end any sense of uncertainty after the verdict, which was a setback to the ruling party as it lost majority for the first time since 2014 and needs allies' support to maintain its hold on power.