PM Modi meets Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi before staking claim as PM for third time

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (Jun 7) met veteran leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi at their residences before staking claim to form the government at the Centre for his third consecutive term.

PM Modi visited Advani after he was elected as leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parliamentary party, leader of the BJP parliamentary party and leader of the BJP in the Lok Sabha.

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Following his meeting with Advani, PM Modi met former BJP president Joshi.

"Went to Advani ji's residence and sought his blessings. Every @BJP4India karyakarta is inspired by Advani ji's monumental efforts to strengthen the party," Modi later wrote in on his official X account.

PM Modi also met former President Ram Nath Kovind in Delhi.

"Met former President Ram Nath Kovind ji. I greatly cherish interacting with him, especially thanks to his unique perspectives of matters of policy and empowering the poor," the prime minister said on X.

NDA 'most successful' ruling alliance, says PM Modi

Earlier today, PM Modi while addressing the NDA parliamentary party meeting asserted that it was the "most successful" ruling alliance.

"I assure the people of the country that the majority they gave us to run the government, it will be our effort that we will strive towards consensus and leave no stone unturned towards taking the country forward...NDA has completed around 3 decades, it is no ordinary thing...I can say that this is the most successful alliance,"said the PM.

He further attacked the INDIA bloc stating that the opposition alliance were incapable of defeating them in both 2019 as well as 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

"They (Opposition) tried to keep us in the shade of defeat. But this never works. All citizens know that 'na hum hare the, na hare hai' (We were neither defeated nor are we defeated). But our behaviour after the June 4th shows our identity that we know how to digest victory. Our values are such that we do not get over excited in the lap of victory and neither do we have the values of mocking the defeated. We protect the victorious and we do not have the intention of mocking the defeated. These are our values," he added.

The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls 2024 took place on June 4.

NDA emerged victorious in 293 constituencies, while BJP won 240 seats on its own.

(With inputs from agencies)