This is the first time NDA allies were officially invited by the BJP for the event
Senior BJP leaders were joined by their allies in National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in paying tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his memorial, Sadaiv Atal, on his fifth death anniversary.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reached the memorial this morning and paid their respects. Several top BJP leaders and ministers were also there.
Among the NDA allies who visited Sadaiv Atal are Praful Patel, who parted ways with NCP chief Sharad Pawar during the mutiny led by Ajit Pawar, AIADMK's M Thambidurai, former Bihar Chief Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, Union Minister and Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Anupriya Patel and All Jharkhand Students' Union chief Sudesh Mahto.
Agatha Sangma, MP from National People's Party and GK Vasan, chief of Tamil Maanila Congress, were also present.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, "Atal ji ruled crores of hearts... Several generations were inspired by him..."
"BJP-led NDA, under the leadership of PM Modi, has seen an increase in the number of allies. We are working with them. We will contest the election together and make PM Modi win... When he gets the opportunity for the third time in 2024, we will bring a wave of development across the country," he added.
Union Minister Anupriya Patel said she was sure of an NDA victory in the 2024 general election. "The Opposition is disheartened and disappointed. They know that in 2024 too, people of the country will not trust them and there is no scope of their return to power. So, a disheartened Opposition is speaking anything they want. But people of the country place their full trust in PM Modi's leadership and in 2024, NDA will make a hattrick," she said.
This is the first time NDA allies were officially invited by the BJP for former Prime Minister's death anniversary event at Sadaiv Atal. This is significant in view of the general elections next year in which the BJP faces a united Opposition bloc INDIA.
Ever since Opposition parties have joined ranks to take on the ruling party which enjoys a huge numerical strength, the BJP has been showcasing its allies in NDA. Last month, when INDIA allies met in Bengaluru, the BJP organised a mega meet of 38 parties in Delhi for a show of strength.
Mocking the meeting, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had said he had not heard of many of the parties who attended the NDA conclave. In a sharp response, Prime Minister Modi had said, "No party is big or small in NDA."
The BJP's efforts to showcase NDA unity is also aimed at countering the Opposition's narrative that the BJP does not respect its allies and cannot maintain long-term partnerships. The Opposition has repeatedly cited the BJP's fallout with long-term allies such as Nitish Kumar-led JDU and the Badals'-led Shiromani Akali Dal to back its argument.
The BJP, on its part, has been taking swipes at the conflicting equations within the INDIA alliance, accusing the Congress of joining hands with arch-rivals with the sole objective of grabbing power.