Lok Sabha poll results 2024: Pawar leaves for Delhi to attend INDIA bloc meet

NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar left for Delhi on Wednesday morning to attend a meeting of the INDIA bloc a day after the opposition alliance made big gains and the Lok Sahba election results 2024 did not throw up a landslide victory the BJPled NDA hoped for reported news agency PTIPawar was expected to reach Delhi around noon sources told PTIThe 83yearold former Union minister is expected to play a crucial role in deciding the future course or action of the opposition alliancePrime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to form the government for a third consecutive term with the BJPled NDA getting a majority in the Lok Sabha notwithstanding crushing losses in three Hindi heartland states after a bitterly fought election that was projected as a referendum on his popularityThe BJP whose candidates had contested in the name of Modi won in 240 seats falling short of the 272 majority mark and needing the support of allies in the partyled National Democratic Alliance NDA for government formation a far cry from the 303 and 282 seats it had won in 2019 and 2014 respectively to have a majority on its ownSoon after the counting trends made the poll outcome clear on Tuesday afternoon Pawar said the results showed the situation was favourable in the country for political change and the future course of action will be decided unanimously and in consultations with all allies reported PTIHis party NCP Sharadchandra Pawar contested 10 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and won eightPawar on Tuesday said the opposition bloc was not likely to form a government at the CentreTo a question who would be the next prime minister he said We have not given it a thoughtI am not sure if the INDIA alliance can form government We will meet and take a decision unanimously on the future course of action he said reported PTIPawar had also said the strike rate of his party and that of the Shiv Sena UBT in the Lok Sabha elections was very goodBuoyed by the INDIA blocs show in the Lok Sabha polls Shiv Sena UBT president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday pushed for staking a claim to form the next government at the Centre and said the opposition alliances leaders will meet on Wednesday in New Delhi to decide on the Prime Ministers faceHe said leaders of the Congress and other parties were holding talks with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Telegu Desam Party TDP head Chandrababu Naidu to explore the possibility of their entry into the blocThe Kumarled JDU and the TDP are constituents of the BJPheaded NDA which is poised to form the next government in the 543member HouseWith inputs from PTI