The Congress party has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he referred to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) more times in his recent speech at the NDA meeting than he did in the past decade. Describing the NDA as the “Nitish-Naidu Dependent Alliance,” Congress leaders also dubbed Modi as a “one-third Prime Minister.”
During a press conference on Friday, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized Modi’s actions, particularly his gesture of bowing down before a copy of the Constitution at the Central Hall of the Old Parliament House before the NDA meeting. Ramesh dismissed Modi’s embrace of the Constitution as mere “drama,” highlighting past instances where Modi allegedly attacked the Constitution.
Pawan Khera, another Congress leader, highlighted Modi’s repeated mentions of the NDA during his speech, implying a dependence on allies like Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) and N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to form a government despite the BJP’s failure to secure a simple majority in the Lok Sabha.
While the BJP secured 240 seats in the recent general elections, it fell short of the required 272-seat majority, necessitating alliances with various regional parties within the NDA. Despite this, the NDA collectively enjoys a comfortable majority with 293 seats.
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During the NDA meeting, allies unanimously endorsed Modi as the NDA parliamentary party leader, paving the way for his appointment as the Prime Minister-designate by President Droupadi Murmu.
Ramesh, in a video message, criticized Modi’s actions, accusing him of hypocrisy for reverentially touching the Constitution, which he allegedly disregarded for the past decade. Additionally, Ramesh claimed that Modi’s appointment as PM-designate by the NDA was preemptive, suggesting uncertainty within the BJP ranks regarding Modi’s leadership.
The Congress’s criticism underscores the political tensions surrounding Modi’s leadership and the BJP’s reliance on allies within the NDA coalition. As Modi prepares to assume office for a third term, the scrutiny from opposition parties like the Congress is likely to intensify, shaping the dynamics of Indian politics in the coming years.