'Right leader at right time'; Naidu, Nitish back Modi as NDA leader

Ahead of Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony on June 9 as the prime minister, the newly elected NDA MPs arrived at the Central Hall of the old Parliament

Narendra Modi speech LIVE: Narendra Modi, former Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and BJP President JP Nadda, joined by other National Democratic Alliance leaders met at Samvidhan Sadan (old Parliament) on Friday to deliberate on the formation of the new government.

At the meeting, Rajnath Singh proposed the name of Modi as the leader of the NDA, which was accepted by the alliance members including Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party and Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United).

Naidu, in his address, praised Modi and expressed confidence in his leadership. "We are one wonderful majority," Naidu said. Referring to Modi, he asserted that India has the right leader at the right time. 

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde, extending his party's support to the NDA , asserted that the alliance won't break as it is "glued by fevicol."

Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan, Ajit Pawar were among other alliance partners who extended their support to the NDA at the meeting.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 latest updates:

1) Ahead of Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on June 9 as the prime minister of India for the third time, the newly elected NDA MPs arrived at the Central Hall of the old Parliament to work out a formula for Cabinet formation. Several BJP chief ministers were also present in the meeting. During the meeting, BJP leader Pralhad Joshi informed the leaders that Modi will take the oath of office on Sunday at 6 pm.

2)  Besides senior BJP leaders, alliance members Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Anupriya Patel, Pawan Kalyan were among others present on the main dais during the meeting.

3) Following the meeting of the NDA leaders, Modi and the members of the alliance partners, including Chandrababu Naidu, JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar and Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde are expected to meet President Drouapadi Murmu to present her the list of parliamentarians supporting him, some alliance members said.

4) The Modi-led new NDA government depends on alliance partners for its survival as the ruling BJP failed to secure 272 seats by itself in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and Nitish Kumar's JDU, have won 16 and 12 seats respectively in their respective states in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

5) Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty, who was also part of the meeting, said, "I am very new to this field. I don't know this field. Maybe after a couple of years, I can talk about it."  Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath also exchanged greetings with Murty.