New Delhi: Earlier this week, on the BJP’s invitation, no fewer than 38 events got here collectively to revitalise the Nationwide Democratic Alliance (NDA), with some summoned from distant reaches of the political wilderness.
Going by their electoral monitor document, this bunch could not look very spectacular at first look — 9 didn’t contest the final Lok Sabha election, 16 drew a clean, and 7 gained just one seat every.
Nonetheless, within the BJP’s calculus, these events all now have a task to play, nevertheless small, forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The listing of latest NDA constituents reveals an try and rebuild the alliance in states the place the BJP misplaced vital companions, together with in Maharashtra, Bihar, and Punjab. Additional, 11 of those 38 events are from the northeastern states that ship 25 members to the Lok Sabha.
ThePrint takes a take a look at all 38 events and what they carry to the BJP’s desk.
Additionally Learn: Why BJP’s retaining its 37 NDA allies shut, regardless that they notched simply 29 Lok Sabha seats in 2019
Tamil Nadu & Puducherry
All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
The AIADMK has had an on-again, off-again alliance with the BJP over time.
The affiliation dates again to 1998, when the Vajpayee authorities got here to energy, after which famously fell when the AIADMK withdrew its vote in 1999.
The BJP and AIADMK subsequent joined fingers for the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. Nonetheless, when the BJP got here to energy in 2014, the AIADMK selected to steer clear of the alliance.
Within the lead-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the 2 events formalised their alliance as soon as once more. In that election, the AIADMK contested 22 seats however managed to safe just one victory — the NDA’s solely win within the state.
Nonetheless, the regional social gathering garnered a major share of over 19 per cent of the entire legitimate votes within the state.
The alliance continued via the 2021 meeting election in Tamil Nadu, which the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) gained.
Because the BJP seeks to make inroads into the Dravidian political panorama, its partnership with AIADMK stays important to strengthen its place in Tamil Nadu, a state that contributes 39 Lok Sabha members.
Tamil Maanila Congress
The Tamil Maanila Congress has existed in numerous iterations for the reason that mid-Nineties however emerged in its present kind below the management of former Congress Union minister G.Okay. Vasan in 2014.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, it grew to become a part of the NDA. Becoming a member of because the eighth associate within the BJP-AIADMK alliance, alongside Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and different events, it contested from one seat — Thanjavur — however misplaced.
Pattali Makkal Katchi
Led by Anbumani Ramadoss, a former well being minister within the first Manmohan Singh authorities, the PMK has a major help base among the many Vanniyar group in Tamil Nadu. It was based by S. Ramadoss, Anbumani’s father.
The social gathering contested on seven seats as part of the NDA in 2019. Whereas it didn’t win a single seat, its vote-share stood at over 5 per cent.
Puthiya Tamilgam
Puthiya Tamilgam was based by Okay. Krishnaswamy in 1997 and has a vote financial institution among the many Pallars, a Dalit group in Tamil Nadu. The social gathering has contested meeting elections with each the AIADMK and DMK, profitable two seats in 2011.
The social gathering joined the BJP-AIDMK-PMK alliance in 2019. Its founder Krishnaswamy has spoken in favour of the BJP’s ideological fountainhead, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), referring to it as a “nationalist” organisation. He has additionally refuted allegations in opposition to the BJP of attempting to impose Hindi within the state.
All-India NR Congress
The AINRC is the ruling social gathering in Puducherry and is led by the Union territory’s Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy.
The social gathering was fashioned in 2011 after it cut up with the Congress. Whereas AINRC gained Puducherry’s lone Lok Sabha seat in 2014, it misplaced in 2019.
The social gathering in an alliance with NDA gained the 2021 meeting elections.
Maharashtra & Goa
Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde)
When the united Shiv Sena’s chief Uddhav Thackeray determined to stroll out of the alliance with the BJP after the 2019 Maharashtra meeting election, it got here as a shock to the latter. Subsequently, the Shiv Sena fashioned a three-party coalition authorities, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), with the Nationalist Congress Social gathering (NCP) and the Congress.
The subsequent shock got here when Sena’s Eknath Shinde rebelled in opposition to the MVA authorities final June and introduced it down. He walked away with the backing of 40 of Sena’s 56 MLAs.
The insurgent faction joined the NDA and fashioned a authorities, with Shinde as CM and the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis as deputy CM. The Election Fee later recognised the Shinde faction because the ‘actual’ Shiv Sena.
The undivided Sena-BJP alliance had secured 18 Lok Sabha seats with a vote share of 23.5 per cent in 2019.
Presently, 13 of the Sena MPs are a part of the NDA. Nonetheless, the Shinde-led Sena’s electoral energy hasn’t been examined but.
Nationalist Congress Social gathering (Ajit Pawar)
The freshly minted Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP is one other Maharashtrian social gathering that the BJP is banking on to revitalise the NDA in Maharashtra.
Ajit Pawar, claiming the help of 30 of the social gathering’s 53 social gathering MLAs and one out of 4 MPs, defied NCP chief Sharad Pawar final month and joined the NDA. Presently, Ajit Pawar shares the put up of deputy CM of Maharashtra with Fadnavis.
Whereas a fractured NCP advantages the BJP, there’s a query mark on Ajit Pawar’s capacity to sway NCP voters away from his uncle and social gathering founder, Sharad Pawar. Ajit’s rebel, notably, was prompted by Sharad Pawar’s resolution to designate his daughter, Supriya Sule, as his political successor.
Republican Social gathering of India (Athawale)
The RPI (A) is led by Ramdas Athawale, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. The social gathering has affect amongst sections of the Dalit group. Within the 2019 meeting election, six of its candidates contested on a BJP ticket. However within the Lok Sabha polls that yr, the BJP-Sena mix didn’t spare a single seat for the RPI(A) to contest.
Though Athawale’s social gathering has been on the wane, sustaining an alliance with it helps the BJP with its outreach to Dalits in Maharashtra.
Rashtriya Samaj Paksha
The Maharashtra-based RSP was based by Mahadev Jankar, a former member of the Bahujan Samaj Social gathering (BSP), in 2003.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the social gathering contested 11 seats however didn’t win any, acquiring a vote share of solely 0.013 per cent.
The RSP’s help base lies among the many Dhangar (shepherd) group in sure areas of western Maharashtra and Marathwada.
In Might, Jankar had threatened to depart the NDA if the RSP was not given 4 Lok Sabha seats.
Prahar Janshakti Social gathering
One other social gathering from Maharashtra, the PHJSP was based by Omprakash Babarao Kadu in 1999.
Within the 2019 Maharashtra meeting elections, the PHJSP contested 26 seats and gained two, with a vote share of 5.29 per cent.
Kadu was sworn in as a minister within the Uddhav Thackeray led authorities in 2019, however later withdrew his help to again the Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena. His social gathering at present helps the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP (Ajit Pawar) coalition authorities.
Jan Surajya Shakti
JSS was based by Vinay Kore, a former state minister for non-conventional vitality and horticulture.
Within the 2019 Maharashtra meeting elections, the JSS fought on 4 seats, profitable one seat and garnering an general vote share of 21.34 per cent within the constituencies it contested.
Kore is the lone MLA of the social gathering, representing Shahuwadi constituency in Kolhapur district.
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Social gathering
The MGP was based by Dayanand Bandodkar, who grew to become the primary CM of Goa in 1963, two years after the Portuguese rule ended.
The MGP initially fashioned an alliance with the BJP in 1994 however later broke away. The alliance was reestablished in 2012 however was severed once more in 2017.
Nonetheless, after the 2017 meeting elections, the MGP rejoined the alliance and have become a part of the Manohar Parrikar-led BJP authorities within the state.
In the course of the 2022 meeting elections in Goa, the MGP contested 13 seats and secured two victories, attaining a vote share of 21.37 per cent within the seats it contested.
Bihar & Jharkhand
Lok Janshakti Social gathering factions
The LJP, based by the late Ram Vilas Paswan, is at present divided into two factions as a result of yet one more uncle-nephew feud. Whereas the Lok Janshakti Social gathering (Ram Vilas) is led by Paswan’s son Chirag, the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Social gathering is helmed by his brother, Lok Sabha MP Pashupati Paras.
After Ram Vilas Paswan’s loss of life in 2020, Paras challenged Chirag’s management and led 5 MPs away from the latter’s faction. Paras was then given a cupboard berth within the Modi authorities. Nonetheless, Chirag continues to carry in style enchantment.
The BJP has been attempting to dealer peace between uncle and nephew but it surely hasn’t materialised but. Nonetheless, Chirag returned to the NDA fold this month.
Within the 2019 LS elections, the unified LJP contested six seats and secured victories in all of them in Bihar, garnering a share of over 8 per cent of legitimate votes polled.
Within the 2020 Bihar meeting election, the unified LJP obtained 10.26 per cent of votes on seats it contested. Notably, throughout the 2014 Lok Sabha election, the LJP, in alliance with the BJP and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Samta Half (RLSP), gained 31 out of 40 seats in Bihar. The social gathering has a considerable vote financial institution among the many Paswan (Dalit) group, which includes round 6 per cent of the state’s inhabitants.
Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular)
Former Bihar CM and HAM(S) founder Jitan Ram Manjhi contested the 2015 Bihar meeting elections in an alliance with the BJP. Nonetheless, his social gathering gained just one seat of the 21 it contested.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, HAM(S) joined forces with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress, however registered a duck.
Within the 2020 meeting elections, Manjhi switched sides once more and joined the NDA. This time round, HAM(S) gained 4 of the seven meeting seats it contested.
When Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar walked out of the NDA final yr and fashioned a authorities with the RJD, the Congress and the Left events, HAM(S) too went with him.
Now, Manjhi is again with the NDA. His social gathering has a help base amongst sure pockets of the Musahar group, which includes about 4 per cent of Bihar’s inhabitants.
All Jharkhand College students Union
The BJP and AJSU, led by Sudesh Kumar Mahto, had been allies within the 2014 Jharkhand meeting elections, however parted methods in 2019. The AJSU gained the only seat it contested within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Within the meeting elections, it gained two seats and a vote share of 12 per cent on the seats it contested.
Uttar Pradesh
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Social gathering
OBC chief Om Prakash Rajbhar’s SBSP had damaged away from the NDA earlier than the 2019 elections. It didn’t win any of the 24 seats it contested, however did garner 2.77 lakh votes.
For the 2022 meeting election, SBSP fashioned an alliance with Samajwadi Social gathering and was in a position to win six seats.
Earlier this month, nevertheless, Om Prakash Rajbhar returned to the NDA fold forward of the 2024 elections.
Apna Dal (Sonelal)
Based in 1995 by OBC chief Sonelal Patel, the Apna Dal later cut up into two factions — Apna Dal (Sonelal) led by his daughter Anupriya Patel and Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) helmed by his spouse Krishna Patel.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Apna Dal (S), in alliance with the NDA, contested two seats and gained each.
Social gathering president Anupriya Patel is at present the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Commerce and Trade.
The social gathering holds vital affect among the many Kurmi group, which constitutes about 6 per cent of the inhabitants in Uttar Pradesh.
Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal (NISHAD)
Based in 2016 by Sanjay Nishad, NISHAD, additionally known as the Nishad Social gathering, fashioned an alliance with the BJP in 2022.
Sanjay Nishad’s son, Praveen, gained the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha bypoll on a Samajwadi Social gathering ticket in 2018, supported by the BSP, however later joined the BJP.
In the course of the 2022 UP meeting elections, the NISHAD Social gathering gained six seats. The Nishad group is taken into account a major vote financial institution in some areas of japanese UP.
North-East & East
Asom Gana Parishad
Fashioned by former Assam chief minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, the AGP is at present led by Atul Bora, who’s agriculture minister within the Assam authorities.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the social gathering unsuccessfully contested three seats as a part of the NDA. Nonetheless, it gathered 8.31 per cent of the legitimate vote. Within the 2021 Assam meeting elections, the social gathering contested 29 seats and gained 9. It obtained 32.91 per cent of the votes within the seats it contested.
United Individuals’s Social gathering Liberal
Assam’s UPPL wields affect within the state’s Bodo areas. In 2020, it fashioned an alliance with the BJP to control the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).
Led by former MP Urkhao Gwra Brahma, at present a minister within the Assam authorities, it contested one seat within the 2019 Lok Sabha election, and misplaced.
In the course of the 2021 meeting elections, the UPPL contested 11 seats in alliance with the BJP and emerged victorious in six.
The UPPL’s alliance with the BJP might help the latter safe votes from the Bodo group, comprising over 31 per cent of Assam’s inhabitants.
Indigenous Individuals’s Entrance of Tripura
Fashioned within the mid-Nineties and having gone via numerous iterations over time, the IPFT, then led by the late N.C. Debbarma, got here to prominence in 2016 with a requirement for a separate state for tribals in Tripura.
Within the 2018 state elections, IPFT allied with the BJP, collectively ousting the 25-year-old Left authorities. Of the entire 60 seats, IPFT gained eight with a vote share of 4.2 per cent, whereas the BJP secured 35. The alliance returned to energy in March 2023, with IPFT profitable just one seat.
Within the 2019 Indian Lok Sabha election, IPFT contested two seats in alliance with the BJP however didn’t obtain success.
The rise of Tipra Motha, one other social gathering advocating for a separate tribal state, is alleged to have diminished IPFT’s affect amongst tribals in Tripura.
Nationwide Individuals’s Social gathering, Meghalaya
The NPP was based by P.A. Sangma after his expulsion from the NCP in July 2012 and is recognised as a nationwide social gathering by the Election Fee. Presently, it’s led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Okay. Sangma and has a presence in a number of states within the Northeast.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NPP contested three seats, one every in Meghalaya, Manipur, and Nagaland. It gained its sole seat in Meghalaya, with a vote share of over 22 per cent within the state.
On the meeting stage, NPP holds 26 seats in Meghalaya, 7 in Manipur, and 5 in Nagaland (all three states have a 60-member meeting). It’s a member of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a coalition of political events from the northeast area that help the NDA.
United Democratic Social gathering
The UDP is a part of Conrad Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) authorities — which additionally consists of the NPP, BJP, the Hill State Individuals’s Democratic Social gathering (HSPDP), and the Individuals’s Democratic Entrance (PDF).
Notably, the UDP, which was a part of the NPP-BJP authorities from 2018 to 2023, contested this yr’s meeting election independently. It emerged because the second-largest social gathering, securing 12 seats and 16 per cent of the votes. Subsequently, it ended up extending help to Sangma-led authorities.
The UDP is an offshoot of the All-Social gathering Hill Leaders’ Convention (APHLC), which was fashioned in 1960 and was the primary protagonist of the Hills State motion for a separate state from undivided Assam province.
Hill State Individuals’s Democratic Social gathering
Based by H.S. Lyngdoh, the HSPDP is without doubt one of the three distinguished events in Meghalaya and advocated for a separate state for individuals from the hills, after which Meghalaya was carved out of Assam.
Within the 2023 Meghalaya elections, the HSPDP obtained two seats and over 3.5 per cent votes.
Mizo Nationwide Entrance
The MNF is the ruling social gathering in Mizoram, with Zoramthanga serving as chief minister. Additionally it is part of the BJP-led NEDA.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, MNF’s C. Lalrosanga gained the one parliamentary seat in Mizoram.
Though the BJP made its debut within the Mizoram meeting in 2018, profitable one seat, it has not been in a position to considerably increase its presence. The MNF and Congress stay the 2 dominant events within the poll-bound state.
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Social gathering
Neiphiu Rio from the NDPP is at present the Nagaland chief minister, and since 2003 has been in alliance with the BJP a number of instances. The mix returned to energy in March this yr.
In 2019, the NDPP contested Nagaland’s solely Lok Sabha seat and gained, getting over 50 per cent of the entire legitimate votes polled.
Naga Individuals’s Entrance
The BJP and the NPF (earlier known as the Nagaland Individuals’s Council) have been on-and-off alliance companions since 1977, when the Janata Social gathering was fashioned as a political different to the Congress.
Forward of the meeting elections in 2018, the BJP dropped out of its partnership with the NPF and allied with the NDPP.
The NPF supported Congress candidate Okay.L. Chishi within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
In 2021, nevertheless, Nagaland grew to become opposition-free as all events, together with the NPF, prolonged help to the NDPP-BJP authorities.
Forward of the 2023 Nagaland meeting election, 21 of the 25 NPF MLAs joined the NDPP. NPF contested 22 seats within the election and gained simply two.
Kuki Individuals’s Alliance
The Kuki Individuals’s Alliance, which was fashioned by a former Indian Overseas Service officer Tongmang Haokip in 2022, gained two seats in final yr’s meeting elections in Manipur, and obtained over 1 per cent votes of the entire votes polled within the state.
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha
The SKM was based in 2013 by Prem Singh Tamang, at present the CM.
In 2019, SKM secured victory within the sole Lok Sabha seat within the state with 48 per cent of votes.
Gorkha Nationwide Liberation Entrance
Based by Gorkhaland motion chief Subhash Ghisingh in 1980, the GNLP has been a longstanding ally of the BJP within the Darjeeling hills since 2019.
The help of GNLP has change into much more essential for the BJP for the reason that Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) parted methods with the BJP and allied with the Trinamool Congress in 2021.
Additionally Learn: 26 Opposition events have united to struggle BJP. Right here’s how they fared in 2019 Lok Sabha polls
Kerala
Bharath Dharma Jana Sena
The BDJS is the political wing of the Ezhava outfit, Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam, which follows the ideas and teachings of social reformer Narayana Guru.
As a Kerala-based ally of the NDA, the BDJS contested and misplaced 4 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, getting a vote share of about 1.8 per cent within the state. The social gathering is led by Thushar Vellappally, who contested from Wayanad and misplaced by an enormous margin to Rahul Gandhi.
Earlier than the 2021 meeting elections, the BDJS skilled a cut up, with one faction, Bharathiya Jana Sena (BJS), aligning with the Congress-led United Democratic Entrance.
Kerala Congress (Thomas)
The Kerala Congress (Thomas), led by former Union minister P.C. Thomas from the third Vajpayee cupboard, has not at all times had a easy run with the NDA.
In 2021, the social gathering determined to give up the alliance as a result of feeling “uncared for” within the allocation of seats for the meeting elections in Kerala. Whereas its leaders attended the assembly of BJP allies earlier this week, the social gathering is but to make its return to the NDA official.
Andhra Pradesh
Jana Sena Social gathering
Based in 2014 by Telugu actor Pawan Kalyan, the JSP initially selected a pink star as its image. Kalyan additionally expressed admiration for guerrilla chief Che Guevara.
Nonetheless, regardless of its obvious ideological inclinations, the social gathering supported the BJP within the 2014 meeting and Lok Sabha elections.
Within the 2019 meeting elections, the JSP fashioned an alliance with the CPI(M), CPI, and BSP and gained one seat and a vote share of seven.04 per cent. The JSP enjoys appreciable affect among the many Kapu group.
Haryana & Punjab
Jannayak Janata Social gathering
The JJP was based by Dushyant Chautala, the grandson of former chief minister O.P. Chautala, in 2018. The JJP is presently a part of the BJP-led authorities in Haryana with Dushyant serving as deputy CM.
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the social gathering had joined forces with the Aam Aadmi Social gathering, however neither gained a seat.
Within the meeting elections that very same yr, nevertheless, the JJP gained 10 seats, garnering 14.84 per cent of the entire votes polled. It then joined the NDA to assist Manohar Lal Khattar change into CM once more.
Nonetheless, there is a component of uncertainty in regards to the BJP-JJP alliance within the 2024 Lok Sabha election, with each events declaring their intent to contest all 10 Lok Sabha seats individually.
Haryana Lokhit Social gathering
HLP was established in 2014 by Gopal Kanda, two years after he needed to give up his put up as a minister within the Haryana authorities amid controversies and authorized circumstances, together with one during which he stands accused of abetment to suicide.
Previous to forming the HLP, Gopal Kanda, as an unbiased MLA from Sirsa, had supported the Indian Nationwide Lok Dal (INLD) and later the Congress authorities.
Within the 2019 Haryana meeting elections, the HLP secured over 80,000 votes (0.6 per cent), making it the fifth-largest social gathering within the state.
In 2021, Gopal Kanda’s his brother, Govind Kanda, joined the BJP and unsuccessfully contested the meeting bypoll from Ellenabad.
Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt)
SAD (Sanyukt) is an offshoot of the Akali Dal, ensuing from the merger of two different splinter teams— the Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic) led by Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) led by Ranjit Singh Brahmpura — in 2021.
These events had been fashioned after their leaders parted methods with SAD (Badal).
Within the 2022 Punjab meeting election, SAD (Sanyukt) allied with the BJP and fielded 12 candidates, however didn’t safe any seats.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
Additionally Learn: 26 Opposition events have united to struggle BJP. Right here’s how they fared in 2019 Lok Sabha polls
