Nitish Kumar For Dy PM Post? Here's How INDIA Bloc Keeps The Plan Up To Keep BJP Out Of Power

Counting of votes in Lok Sabha elections 2024 is currently underway, with initial signs pointing towards a narrow victory for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). While the INDIA coalition is unlikely to reach the crucial threshold of 272 seats, strategic alliances could still pave the way for the Congress-led coalition to form the government at the Center.

Reports suggest that the INDIA coalition is making efforts to entice two NDA partners, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal (United) (JDU), by offering them significant positions. Reports indicated that this may include the position of Deputy Prime Minister for Nitish Kumar and the promise of special status for Andhra Pradesh.

It must be noted that Nitish Kumar, known for his history of political shifts, notably joined the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA after previously aligning with the INDIA bloc. Despite his pivotal role in forming the current alliance, sources within JDU indicated no intentions of further party realignments.

However, speculation arose when Nitish Kumar did not meet with BJP's deputy chief minister Samrat Chaudhary during his visit on Tuesday, raising eyebrows among some Congress leaders.

In Bihar, the BJP, contesting 17 seats, led in 11, leaving it shy of a clear majority of 272 seats. Nonetheless, with the support of its NDA allies, the party could secure a government.

Reports indicated that the NDA was leading in over 290 seats, while the INDIA bloc maintained a lead in over 230 seats.

Despite earlier exit poll projections foreseeing the BJP securing over 350 seats, with some even suggesting the alliance might surpass 400, the actual results painted a different picture.

The election outcome is likely to be a tightly contested battle, as both the NDA and the Congress-led alliance vie for control.

The clash between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the India-Alliance in Lok Sabha elections 2024 mirrors a wider ideological struggle. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spearheaded the BJP's campaign. The party's leading figure in the campaign, PM Modi, took part in more than 200 public events, including rallies and street exhibitions.

On the other hand, the India-Alliance's campaign included simultaneous rallies by leaders of the Opposition. The vote tally began at 8 with strict security measures in place. The process of counting electronic voting machine (EVM) ballots commenced 30 minutes following the postal ballot count. This election for the Lower House was the second-longest in the history of India, stretching back to the country's inaugural election in 1951-52. To govern, any party or group needs to secure a majority of 272 seats.