New Delhi: The BJP is looking at AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa in the event that the NDA falls short of a simple majority. Top party leaders, including PM candidate Narendra Modi, have been in touch with the AIADMK chief.
Mr Modi’s close aide, Amit Shah, said on Tuesday the party will accept support from all quarters, “even from a single MP”. When asked if he would now be shifting to New Delhi, Mr Shah said: “I will do whatever the party asks me to do.”
If the BJP-led NDA gets a clear majority in the Lok Sabha on May 16, the swearing-in-ceremony could be held by May 20. The party also plans to hold a massive celebration in Varanasi if Mr Modi becmes PM, sources said.
As almost all exit polls predicted a NDA government at the Centre, consultations have begun in party circles over the role of BJP patriarch L.K. Advani. Former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday met party president Rajnath Singh and Mr Advani to discuss his possible role “if the party comes to power”. Mr Gadkari had earlier met Mr Modi to discuss Mr Advani’s role in the event of the BJP coming to power. On Wednesday, Mr Gadkari, Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh will be in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, to hold parlyes on government formation and organisational issues. If Mr Modi takes over as Prime Minister, there is a possibility of Gujarat minister Anandiben Patel taking over as the new chief minister of the state.
Under Mr Modi’s leadership, the party has decided to take “everyone along” in government formation. It was indicated that in the event of the party coming to power, its allies will also be accommodated in Mr Modi’s council of ministers. There is talk within BJP circles that if the party comes to power, the railway ministry could go to Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan.
