BJP + 29 Parties = National Democratic Alliance

New Delhi: In his thanksgiving speech in the Central Hall of Parliament today, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister-elect, hailed the allies of the BJP, even though his party had secured a majority in the Lok Sabha on its own.

Here is a list of the partners of the National Democratic Alliance, which was formed in 1998:

• Bharatiya Janata Party: The largest party, which forms the bulwark of the NDA. Under Mr Modi's stewardship, it won a staggering 282 seats, its best-ever performance.
• Shiv Sena: BJP's oldest ally won an impressive 18 seats in partnership with the BJP in Maharashtra, which sends 48 members to the Lok Sabha.
• Telugu Desam Party: N Chandrababu Naidu's party rejoined the NDA after a gap of a decade, and pulled off a spectacular performance in Andhra Pradesh. It won 16 seats in the Lok Sabha, and is set form the first government in Seemandhra, the residual Andhra Pradesh.
• Lok Janshakti Party: Ram Vilas Paswan's party also staged a comeback to the NDA after 10 years, and emerged victorious in six seats in Bihar.
• Shiromani Akali Dal: Another very old partner of the BJP. It, however, could only win four seats in Punjab. Party chief Parkash Singh Badal has indicated his party may not join the Narendra Modi government.
• Rashtriya Lok Samata Party: Not much is known about this party outside Bihar. It's headed by Upendra Kushwaha, a Koeri (OBC) leader who was once very close to former chief minister Nitish Kumar. His party was allocated three seats as part of the seat-sharing arrangement in Bihar, and won all three.
• Apna Dal: Another party which has made its debut in the Lok Sabha. Headed by Anupriya Patel, a Kurmi leader from eastern Uttar Pradesh, it won 2 seats in alliance with the BJP.
• Naga People's Front: Has been ruling Nagaland since 2003, and is also an old NDA ally. It won the lone Nagaland seat, and former chief minister Neiphieu Rio, who bagged the seat, is set to play an important role in the new regime.
• National People's Party: Former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma was among the happiest leaders in Parliament's Central Hall today, having played his bit of role in dislodging the UPA government from the Centre. Mr Sangma won from Tura in Meghalaya for a record ninth time.
• Pattali Makkal Katchi: Former Union minister Anbumani Ramadoss managed to keep the PMK flag by wresting the Dharmapuri seat in Tamil Nadu from DMK. It, however, lost the remaining 7 seats allocated to it under the seat-sharing arrangement with the BJP and its other partners in the state.
• Swabhimani  Paksha: Raju Shetti, a powerful leader known for championing the farmers' cause,  retained the Hatkanangle seat in Maharashtra.
• All India NR Congress: Its candidate R Radhakrishnan snatched this seat from union minister of state for personnel V Narayanasamy of the Congress.

Besides these parties, there were several other NDA partners which failed to open their account in the Lok Sabha. But Mr Modi made it a point to thank them for their contribution in taking the NDA well beyond the halfway mark. Popular Telugu actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan, who has floated the Jana Sena, did not contest, but campaigned for the NDA.

• DMDK: Actor-turned-politician Vijayakant's party contested from 14 seats in Tamil Nadu, but failed to win a single seat. Its losing streak continues.
• Haryana Janhit Congress: Former MP Kuldeep Bishnoi's party drew a blank in Haryana. He himself lost to INLD's Dushyant Chautala from Hissar.
• MDMK: Vaiko's party was earmarked 7 seats in alliance with the BJP and its other partners in Tamil Nadu, but it drew a blank.
• IJK: Failed the win the lone seat allotted to it in Tamil Nadu.
• KMDK: Was asked to contest from 1 seat in Tamil Nadu, but failed to save it.
• RPI (Athawale): Ramdas Athawale's party is part of the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance) in Maharashtra, but it did not contest the Lok Sabha polls.
• Jana Sena: Pawan Kalyan campaigned for the NDA in Andhra Pradesh, but did not contest.    
• United Democratic Front (Mizoram): Comprises Mizo National Front, the Mizoram People's Conference, the Zoram Nationalist Party, the Maraland Democratic Front, the Hmar People's Convention and the Paite Tribes Council. They had supported  Robert Romawia Royte as their joint candidate from Mizoram. He lost.
• Gorkha Janmukti Morcha: Bimal Gurung's party backed the candidature of senior BJP leader S S Ahluwalia from Darjeeling. He won by a huge margin. The BJP, however, will have to take a call on GJM's demand for a separate state of Gorkhaland.
• Manipur People's Party: A breakaway group of the Congress in the north-eastern state.It backs the BJP.
• Revolutionary Socialist Party (Bolshevik): Founded by former members of the RSP in Kerala, it too has extended its support to the BJP.
• Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party: It was the dominant party in Goa till the 1980s, but is now on the verge of extinction. It won three seats in the 2012 assembly polls in the state. Its president Deepak Dhavlikar is a  cabinet minister in the Manohar Parrikar government.
• Kerala Congress (Nationalist): It was founded by Nobel Mathew after parting ways with the Kerala Congress, and was the NDA candidate from Kottayam, where he lost.