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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to present a coalition agreement to President Droupadi Murmu on Friday (today).
Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has ruled for the past decade but failed to repeat its prior two landslide wins.
It was instead forced into quick-fire talks with a 15-member coalition that agreed to give it the parliamentary numbers to govern.
Modi was expected to visit President Murmu with allied party leaders to seek her formal approval to form the next government, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
The National Democratic Alliance supporting Modi’s third-term ambitions “unanimously” chose the 73-year-old premier as leader on Wednesday as he resigned from his position.
The alliance holds 293 seats in Parliament, giving it control of the 543-seat body.
Modi’s party has not revealed what concessions alliance members were given to secure their support, but several larger parties were seeking plum ministerial portfolios.
The Indian Express reported on Friday that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from the southern state of Andhra Pradesh — the largest BJP ally with 16 seats — would press for the revival of plans to build a new state legislative capital.
Indian media reports said Modi is likely to be sworn in as prime minister on Sunday.
“Our third term will be one of big decisions and the country will write a new chapter of development,” Modi had told a crowd of cheering supporters in the capital New Delhi after his win.
AFP
