Ahead of Narendra Modi’s oath, Opposition’s ominous warning to BJP

A day before Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, several leaders of the INDIA bloc on Saturday cast doubts on the longevity of the BJP-led coalition government.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, with 240 Lok Seats, is woefully short of the majority mark. It is reliant on the support of N Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar and Eknath Shinde.

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who lost the elections to Trinamool’s Yusuf Pathan, said this government won’t last long.

“Everyone unanimously wants Rahul Gandhi to be the LoP. This government will not last long,” he said on Saturday.

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said the Opposition’s alliance, which won 234 seats in the Lok Sabha, might stake a claim to form a government in the future.

She said her party had adopted a “wait and watch” approach.

“The BJP is forming the government undemocratically and illegally. Today, the INDIA bloc may not have staked a claim to form the government, but that doesn’t mean they won’t tomorrow. Let’s wait for some time,” she said.

She said the INDIA bloc will form a government in the future.

“But let’s see how they run the (BJP) government till then,” she said.

A day after the Lok Sabha results, the INDIA bloc had announced it would take “appropriate steps at the appropriate time” to realize the people’s desire to not to be ruled by the BJP government.

Mamata Banerjee said the NDA government is unstable because the BJP hasn’t secured a majority.

She also demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi must step down.

When asked about NDA allies JD (U) and TDP, Banerjee said, “They are our friends too. Who told you they are not with us?”

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said had Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu not supported Modi, he would not have become the prime minister.

“Narendra Modi, in the 2024 elections has suffered a devastating personal loss, political defeat and a moral debacle. He is one-third prime minister because, without Naidu and Nitish Kumar, he would not have been Prime Minister,” Ramesh said.

The INDIA bloc had reportedly sent overtures to NDA allies after the election results.

Naidu and Nitish Kumar, who are called by poll pundits the proverbial kingmakers, however, have announced their support for Narendra Modi.

The NDA is currently in a huddle over the allocation of portfolios in the government.