Amidst intense discussions on the structure of the upcoming Narendra Modi-led Union Council of Ministers, prominent RSS officials, including Arun Kumar, the party’s point of contact with the Sangh, met with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership on Thursday.
The meeting, two days after the BJP lost the majority in Lok Sabha after 10 years of single-party control at the Centre, took place on the day the BJP leadership was gathered in talks to work out an approach for Cabinet formation and negotiations on the composition and participation of partners in the coalition government.
On Sunday evening, Modi is anticipated to take the oath of office as Prime Minister for the third time in a row. More than 8,000 notables have been invited to the event, which will be attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, President Ranil Wickremesinghe of Sri Lanka, and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” of Nepal.
To formally stake a claim for government formation, Modi is set to visit President Droupadi Murmu on Friday with other NDA heavyweights, including TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu, and Bihar Chief Minister and JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar.
BJP leaders engaged in tense negotiations on Thursday to settle the parameters of the government’s formation. According to sources, BJP national general secretary B L Santhosh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and representatives of the RSS attended the meeting at the party president JP Nadda’s home.
The discussion with the RSS leaders, according to sources, took place in light of the Lok Sabha election results and “the changed political scenario,” which states that the BJP would no longer hold an absolute majority in the legislature and that the NDA would form the next government.
According to insiders, the leaders got together to “swap views, exchange notes, and discuss the implications of the election result.”
The alliance finished up with 293 seats in the House of 543, much short of the BJP’s objective of 370 seats for the party and 400+ for the NDA. The BJP gained 240 seats, 63 fewer than its 2019 total of 303.
According to reports, the BJP-RSS connection would strengthen even if the “situation keeps changing… the relationship remains.”
The BJP has to select a new president promptly since Nadda’s extended tenure as party president expires in June; therefore, a restructuring of the organisation is anticipated.
BJP insiders underlined that discussions with partner leaders would be necessary before finalising specifics about the formation of the government. However, insiders indicated that the BJP is eager to hold onto important positions, including those in home affairs, finance, defence, and external affairs.
The BJP, according to sources, is “in no mood” to surrender the post of Speaker, despite the fact that both the TDP and the JD (U) have stated that the position should go to the allies—especially in light of a verdict that resulted in the party losing its majority in the House.
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