Prime Minister Narendra Modi with BJP President Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. (Photo: PTI)
The BJP's top leaders - including Prime Minister Narendra Modi - met on Sunday evening in Delhi to review the huge gains of the party in two major states. The BJP has won Haryana, and has the most seats in Maharashtra, but is short of a majority. Here are the 10 latest developments:
Here are the 10 latest developments:
In Maharashtra, the BJP has won 123 of 288 seats. It needs another 22 to form the government.
Sharad Pawar's NCP has offered external support; the BJP will review this option against a possible reconciliation with former ally Shiv Sena.
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray called BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday evening, sources said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present, also took part in the conversation. A broad agreement to move forward was made, said sources.
Top BJP leaders including Rajnath Singh will travel to Mumbai on Monday to hold consultations on how to form the government in Maharashtra.
Sources in the Sena say that the party is willing to accept the post of Deputy Chief Minister for Maharashtra, and is open to talks about other key portfolios.
The alliance ended after 25 years in September because the BJP was unwilling to remain the Sena's junior partner in Maharashtra.
The BJP credited today's successes to the Prime Minister, who campaigned extensively for the election. "Today's results show that the Modi wave is still the tsunami that can crush the opposition," said BJP president Amit Shah.
The results will also boost the government's confidence in clearing more economic reforms. On Saturday, it had lifted controls on diesel prices.
State elections determine seat shares in the Rajya Sabha or upper house of parliament, where the BJP and its allies lack a majority. Gains in state elections will make the government less dependent on support from the opposition to get legislation cleared.
Haryana and Maharashtra have been bastions of the Congress and the party's decimation in both states continues the massive decline it marked in May when it accrued its worst-ever result in the national election.
