5 takeaways from PM Modi speech at NDA meeting: Outreach to allies, states, Opposition

SHORT of a majority and needing the support of his allies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday framed the mandate and the road ahead in terms that were conciliatory signalling a reaching out to states and to parties across the aisle.

Addressing the elected MPs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Friday, including BJP Chief Ministers and Deputy CMs, Modi described the NDA as a “30-year-old”, “organic” alliance, and underlined that it had run successful governments for three terms during this period.

He also stressed that the NDA mirrored “India’s diversity”, mentioning different social groups, referring to the coalition multiple times in his speech and avoiding mentioning himself in the third person.

Clearly, this was a signal that this wasn’t a one-man show and that the party was ready to show accommodation as needed. More importantly, that this was not a setback for the BJP but a “continuation”.

The tone of the NDA meet was set by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who, speaking before Modi and proposing the resolution to elect him as the leader of the NDA parliamentary group, described the NDA alliance as not a “compulsion” but a “commitment”. Union ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari then seconded it.

Having run a tight ship for 10 years, the PM wrapped up his speech telling the new MPs to be wary of media speculation about the new ministry. This was not his style, Modi said, adding: “The country won’t run as per breaking news, yeh maan ke chaliye (let that be clear).”

Calling the NDA “not a collection of some parties for the sake of power (a swipe at INDIA),” Modi said it stood on the shoulders of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Parkash Singh Badal, Balasaheb Thackeray, George Fernandes, Sharad Yadav who “sowed this seed…that