BJP tries to present NDA as robust and vibrant grouping

NEW DELHI: From organising NDA MPs’ meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to holding workshops for spokespersons from allied parties and formally inviting the ruling alliance leaders to attend a prayer meeting on the death anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP is working to present NDA as an active and vibrant entity, in contrast to its redundant state in the recent past.

Perhaps for the first time, a formal invitation was extended to NDA allies to attend a prayer meeting at ‘Sadaiv Atal’ memorial of Vajpayee, who spearheaded the first NDA government at the Centre.

Several NDA leaders, including NCP’s Praful Patel, Apna Dal’s Anupriya Patel, NPP’s Agatha Sangma, HAM’s Jitan Ram Manjhi and several others, attended the meeting.


This is the third event where BJP has engaged with its NDA allies, after it held an NDA meet last month –– held after a gap of almost five years. During this period, the idea of the alliance appeared redundant as BJP had got a massive majority in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Modi, during his interactions with NDA MPs, suggested that they work as one team and speak in one voice.

All these efforts from BJP came amid Opposition parties, despite their differences, managing to present a united picture under the INDIA bloc.

Other erstwhile allies — TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal — also paid tributes to Vajpayee on his death anniversary.