‘Speak As One, Dispel Opposition Narrative’: NDA Partners Talk Coordination, Constitution Debate – News18

Last Updated:December 25, 2024, 16:08 IST

The BJP’s top leadership requested NDA partners to spread the message of how the Congress was trying to hide its own faults in the garb of being “pro-Constitution”

The necessity to speak as one and better coordination between partners was the focal point of a meeting of the NDA, which took place at BJP national president JP Nadda’s residence on Wednesday.

Union home minister Amit Shah and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu were present at the meeting, which was also attended by Union minister Pratap Jadhav of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S), and Anupriya Patel of the Apna Dal among other leaders from smaller parties.

There was a detailed discussion on the coordination within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), while it was once again stressed that leaders need to speak as a unit and not as a standalone political party. A system is already in place, under which a central minister along with a minister of state has the responsibility of coordinating with different NDA allies, not only for data but also information sharing and feedback as well as helping MPs.

About the high-profile debate in Parliament on the 75th year of the adoption of the Constitution, Nadda and Shah spoke on the meaning of such a debate and how facts needed to come to the fore.

Dispelling the opposition narrative on the matter was also a key point during the discussion. It was said the Congress, which is accusing the Narendra Modi-led government of being “anti-Constitution”, is the same party that violated its principles on multiple occasions and not just one.

The BJP’s top leadership requested NDA partners to spread the message of how the Congress was trying to hide its own faults in the garb of being “pro-Constitution”. It was further discussed that the Grand Old Party and other opposition parties were using an edited video to create a fake narrative around the remarks made by the Union home minister on BR Ambedkar.

During this discussion, Shah claimed that it was an afterthought by the Congress to raise the Ambedkar issue. He added how the Congress, after a few hours, came up with the edited video and tried to promote it through its chosen “toolkit” gang.

It was elaborated that the NDA as a unit worked for everybody’s welfare and there is no truth in the allegations made by the opposition. It was highlighted how the NDA government, in its last two terms, had done much to preserve Ambedkar’s legacy and take it forward.

Leaders decided to hold these meetings on a periodical basis, and said they will be held between central and state leaders. It was also reinforced that the NDA had come together naturally, unlike a forced political alliance such as the INDIA bloc.

All NDA partners joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi in paying tributes on the birth centenary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. A prayer ceremony was held at the late political stalwart’s memorial earlier, which was attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla among others.