NDA leaders meet, discuss countering Congress's 'fake narrative'

The leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, met in New Delhi at BJP president J P Nadda's residence on Wednesday (December 25) on the birth centenary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

News agency PTI reported citing sources that the NDA leaders discussed the Congress' recent political attack on the ruling alliance and emphasised to speak in a united voice to counter "fake narrative".

Shah's remarks on Ambedkar

The Congress has attacked Shah alleging insult of B R Ambedkar, with the Home Minister accusing the Opposition party of using a short clip of his speech to distort his remarks.

Also read: Gandhi, Ambedkar, and Constitution: Congress’s trident to take on BJP

Shah and Nadda said the ruling alliance's focus should remain on good governance and people's welfare, which have brought it support from the masses, they added.

Besides Shah and Naidu, JD(U) leader and Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Apna Dal (S) president and Union minister Anupriya Patel, as well as JD (S) leader and Union minister H D Kumaraswamy, were present at the meeting. With the NDA putting in a broad mechanism to boost coordination, it was noted that its members will continue to consult over key issues, with ministers and other senior leaders meeting the MPs regularly.

Bihar’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi, also a minister in the Modi government, Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) president Upendra Kushwaha, a Rajya Sabha MP, and Thushar Vellappally, president of Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, were also present at the meeting.

Also read: Ambedkar remarks | BJP govt asked 'X' to delete Amit Shah's RS speech: Congress

Though there was no official word on the agenda of the meeting, sources said good governance and political issues were discussed.

Nadda's post on X

Good governance was a key theme of the Vajpayee government.

It was decided to hold a meeting of the alliance on the birth anniversary of the BJP stalwart, who is credited with successfully running the first coalition government for its full term.

"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," 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 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,” he told reporters when asked about the meeting.

Coalition strategy

Nishad said the meeting also discussed coalition strategy to ensure that “all the work” done by Prime Minister Modi reaches the ground and “promises made to people during elections” are fulfilled.

The issue of giving reservation to the fishing community was also raised at the meeting, he said.

“I gave 30-37 page evidence on the issue of giving reservation to the fishing community since it was a poll promise. They will call (us) after a week and discuss it,” Nishad said.

Asked if issue of Shah's remarks on 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 who are up in arms against Shah over his remarks.

The NDA meeting comes amid the alliance's focus on simultaneous elections, with all constituents lending support to the proposal.

A Joint Committee of Parliament, constituted to scrutinise two bills for simultaneous polls, is expected to meet on January 8.

(With agency inputs)