BJP, RSS meet amid parleys on govt formation, sharing berths with NDA partners

Amid hectic parleys on the composition of the incoming Union Council of Ministers led by Narendra Modi, the BJP leadership held a meeting Thursday with senior RSS functionaries including Arun Kumar who is the interface between the party and the Sangh.

The meeting, two days after the BJP lost majority in Lok Sabha after a decade of single-party dominance at the Centre, took place on the day the BJP leadership was huddled in talks to work out a formula for Cabinet formation and negotiations on the nature and participation of partners in the coalition government.

Modi is expected to be sworn-in as Prime Minister for a third consecutive term on Sunday evening. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ are to attend the ceremony to which over 8,000 dignitaries have been invited.

Modi, along with NDA leaders including TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Chief Minister and JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar, is expected to meet President Droupadi Murmu Friday to formally stake claim for government formation.

While the BJP has called its newly elected MPs, state unit chiefs and Chief Ministers to New Delhi for a meeting at 11 am Friday, presidents of all NDA partners and MPs are also expected to meet to formally elect Modi as the coalition’s leader before he heads to Rashtrapati Bhavan.

On Thursday, there were hectic parleys among BJP leaders to finalise details on government formation. Sources said the meeting at party chief J P Nadda’s residence was attended by RSS leaders, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh.

Sources said the meeting with the RSS