New Delhi: A united National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will take on the Opposition INDIA bloc on the “Ambedkar row”. The NDA leadership met on Wednesday at BJP president J.P. Nadda's residence to discuss several issues, including coordination among allies on issues like the Ambedkar row, Waqf strategy, One Nation, One Election (ONOE) and others.
Union home minister Amit Shah, TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief ministerChandrababu Naidu, JD(U) leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, ApnaDal(S) president and Union minister Anupriya Patel, as well as JD(S) leader and Union minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, were present at the meeting.
Bihar’s Hindustani Awam Morcha(S) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, also a minister in the Modi government, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president and Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha and president of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena Thushar Vellappally were also present at the meeting.
While there was no official word on the agenda of the meeting, sources said good governance and political issues were discussed. Sources said it was decided to hold a meeting of the alliance on the birth anniversary of the BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is credited with successfully running the first coalition government for its full term.
According to sources, the NDA leaders decided to back the ruling BJP's stand that the Opposition "distorted" Mr Shah's remarks on B.R. Ambedkar for political gains. While the Opposition camp has hit the street demanding an apology from the Union home minister and his resignation, NDA leaders, including PM Narendra Modi, have supported Mr Shah. The NDA leaders, sources said, will also speak in one voice on issues like ONOE and Waqf.
"Attended the NDA leaders' meeting in New Delhi today. Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India is achieving unprecedented milestones and has positioned itself as a global superpower," Mr Nadda said in a post on X after the meeting.
"The NDA government remains steadfast in its pursuit of the vision of 'Viksit Bharat@2047', ensuring a brighter and more prosperous future for all," he added.
Uttar Pradesh's NISHAD Party chief Sanjay Nishad said it was an “informal" meeting of the NDA leaders on the occasion of the birth centenary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“Our future strategy is to move forward together. We have to show unity in all the upcoming elections...everyone congratulated (the BJP leaders) in the meeting for the victory in Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly polls,” Mr Nishad told reporters when asked about the meeting.
The NISHAD Party chief said the meeting also discussed coalition strategy to ensure that “all the work” done by Mr Modi reaches the ground and “promises made to people during elections” are fulfilled.
The issue of giving reservations to the fishing community was also raised at the meeting, he said.
“I gave 30-37 pages of evidence on the issue of giving reservations to the fishing community since it was a poll promise. They will call (us) after a week and discuss it,” Mr Nishad said.
Asked if the issue of Mr Shah's remarks on B.R. Ambedkar came up at the meeting, the NISHAD Party chief said, "...We have come for people's welfare. How to get success in that, energy needs to be spent on that."
"There is no need to respond to their narrative and negative thoughts," he added in an apparent reference to the Congress and other Opposition parties that are up in arms against Mr Shah over his remarks on B.R. Ambedkar.
