Key meeting of NDA leaders at JP Nadda’s house today; Ambedkar row, other issues on agenda

A meeting of top leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is going to be held in Delhi today, December 25. Top leaders of the alliance will gather at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President, JP Nadda's residence at 4 pm to discuss host of issues including the recent Ambedkar controversy.

The top two agendas of this meeting are the raging row over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar as well as ensuring better coordination among NDA allies. All the senior leaders of the NDA will be present at the meeting, NDTV reported citing sources.

NDA chief ministers, BJP leaders, including Home Minister Amit Shah, is expected to attend the meeting. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has already arrived in the national capital to attend the meeting.  The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief will also attend the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The TDP is a significant partner in the BJP-led NDA.

The NDA allies are expected to respond to the Congress party on the Ambedkar row. The allies may also deliberate upon key legislations such as One Nation One Election and Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and finalise a strategy, the report said. Both the bills have been referred to the Joint Parliamentary Panel for wider scrutiny.

The day of the meeting, December 25 also marks the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Opposition Cornering Amit Shah

The opposition began cornering Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his statement on Bhimrao Ambedkar in the Parliament during the recently-concluded Winter Session of Parliament. The Congress has demanded resignation of the Home Minister over his controversial speech in Rajya Sabha.

"Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar'. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven)," Shah is heard saying in the video.

Last week, the protests on the Amit Shah's remakrs outside the Makar Dwar of the Parliament took a dramatic turn with jostling among the NDA and INDIA bloc MPs. Two BJP MPs – Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput – were injured during the protest. The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, of pushing Sarangi and Rajput.

After the incident, Delhi Police registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi.

Seat-Sharing also on agenda

Reports suggested that the BJP is likely to discuss seat-sharing for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections 2025. The saffron party may give a few seats to the Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) and Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) for the Delhi assembly election 2025 scheduled early next year.

In the last Parliament session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged NDA allies to meet every month for better coordination.