Why BJP has become a magnet for smaller parties

With its past, present & future looking bright, newer alliance members may continue to flock to NDA

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has become a magnet for smaller parties since 2014. As is evident from the results, these smaller players have quite literally thrust the BJP in a position to form governments comfortably in Manipur and with a little help from independents in Goa.

In the 2014 general elections, the NDA included 24 other parties in addition to the BJP. In these elections, the BJP has managed to attract more parties in pre-poll and post-alliances in UP, Manipur and Goa.

In UP, the BJP’s smaller partners that won