JP Nadda Attends NDA Spokespersons’ media Workshop at Parliament House Annexe in Delhi
New Delhi, August 11, 2023 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party of India and the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), conducted a workshop for the spokespersons of its coalition partners on Friday at the Parliament House Annexe in Delhi. The meeting was attended by representatives from various NDA parties, including the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), the Apna Dal (S), the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP), the Nishad Party, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), the Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal (RLJD), and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU).
The workshop was inaugurated by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is also the BJP’s national spokesperson. He delivered the opening address and briefed the participants on the achievements of the NDA government in various sectors, such as health, education, infrastructure, economy, and foreign policy. He also highlighted the challenges faced by the government due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the opposition’s disruptions in the ongoing monsoon session of the Parliament.
#WATCH | BJP national president JP Nadda attends NDA spokespersons' media workshop at Parliament House Annexe in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/AZjxGcjWDn
— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2023
The workshop also featured sessions by other prominent NDA leaders, such as LJP President Chirag Paswan, Apna Dal (S) leader Anupriya Patel, and Union Minister Anurag Thakur. They shared their views on how to effectively communicate with the media and the public on various issues and policies of the NDA government. They also discussed how to counter the criticism and allegations of the opposition parties, especially the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA).
The concluding speech was given by BJP President JP Nadda, who thanked all the NDA partners for their support and cooperation. He praised their role in strengthening the alliance and expanding its reach across different regions and communities of India. He also urged them to work together as a team and to present a united front in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024. He said that the NDA is confident of winning a third consecutive term under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The workshop was part of BJP’s efforts to consolidate its alliance and to prepare for the next general elections.
The workshop was seen as part of BJP’s efforts to consolidate its alliance and to prepare for the next general elections, which are expected to be held in April-May 2024. The NDA currently has 18 parties as its members, with BJP being the largest one with 303 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The other major NDA parties are Shiv Sena (18 seats), Janata Dal (United) (16 seats), LJP (6 seats), Akali Dal (2 seats), Apna Dal (S) (2 seats), AJSU (1 seat), HAM (1 seat), RLJD (1 seat), SBSP (1 seat), and Nishad Party (1 seat).
The workshop was also seen as an attempt by BJP to address some of the issues and grievances of its alliance partners, who have expressed their dissatisfaction over various matters, such as seat-sharing arrangements, policy decisions, and leadership roles. For instance, LJP President Chirag Paswan had a bitter fallout with BJP over his decision to contest against JD(U) candidates in Bihar assembly elections in 2020. He was also removed from his post as a Union Minister after his party failed to win any seat in Bihar. Similarly, Apna Dal (S) leader Anupriya Patel had demanded a cabinet berth for her party in the recent reshuffle of Modi government. She had also raised concerns over the farmers’ protests against the new agricultural laws.
The workshop was also seen as a way of reaching out to new potential allies, who may join or support the NDA in future. For example, RLJD Chief Upendra Kushwaha had recently quit the UPA and joined hands with BJP. He had earlier served as a Union Minister in Modi government before leaving NDA in 2018. Another example is SBSP leader Om Prakash Rajbhar, who had parted ways with BJP before Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2022. He had recently met with BJP leaders and hinted at a possible reconciliation.
The workshop was held amid the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, which has witnessed repeated disruptions by opposition parties.
The workshop was held amid the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, which has witnessed repeated disruptions by opposition parties over various issues, such as Pegasus spyware controversy, farm laws, fuel price hike, COVID-19 management, and border disputes with China and Nepal. The opposition parties have demanded a discussion and a probe on these issues, while the government has accused them of stalling the proceedings and wasting public money. The session, which began on July 19, is scheduled to end on August 13.
The workshop was also held ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in five states, namely Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur, which are due in early 2022. These elections are considered crucial for both the NDA and the UPA, as they will set the tone for the Lok Sabha elections in 2024. The NDA is currently in power in four of these states, except for Punjab, where it is in opposition. The UPA is hoping to regain some of these states, especially Uttar Pradesh, which is the most populous and politically significant state of India.
