India’s Modi moves quickly to secure coalition support to form new government

Prime Minister Narendra Modi (front, centre) with leaders of the National Democratic Alliance and his own party, at his residence in New Delhi on June 5. - Photo: BJP

NEW DELHI: India’s caretaker Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun the process of forming a coalition government, launching swiftly into negotiations with key allies on Wednesday (June 5) after his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) failed to gain a majority on its own in the tightly contested general election.

A meeting between Modi and alliance leaders was held at the prime minister’s residence, with talks centring on staking a claim to forming the next government.