INDIA Bloc Meeting: A day after the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 results were announced in favour of the BJP-led NDA, the opposition INDIA bloc leaders gathered at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence to strategize the prospects for the coalition.  

As per reports, the opposition is exploring the possibilities of government formation, and considering if they should reach out to former allies Nitish Kumar and N. Chandrababu Naidu. 

Despite the BJP securing 240 seats and the Congress becoming the second largest party with 99 seats, the NDA commands a majority with 293 seats and is currently conducting a separate meeting to discuss forming the government. The opposition alliance, holding 234 seats, is expected to discuss the Lok Sabha election outcomes and the potential inclusion of the Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party to gather the necessary support for government formation. 

Key figures from the Congress party, such as Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were present at the meeting. Opposition leaders like Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, T R Baalu of the DMK, Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, Kalpana Soren of the JMM, Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule of the NCP-SP, Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav of the SP, Abhishek Banerjee of the TMC, Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD, Sanjay Raut, Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena-UBT, Omar Abdullah of the JKNC, Sitaram Yechury of the CPI-M, D Raja of the CPI, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha of the AAP, and N K Premchandran of the RSP were also in attendance. 

Although the BJP didn’t secure a majority independently, it’s poised to lead the government with the backing of its allies. Thanks to the support from Naidu’s TDP and Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), who secured 16 and 12 seats in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar respectively, along with other coalition members, the NDA has surpassed the required threshold for forming the government.