On Article 370 anniversary, PM Modi chairs NDA meet; Kashmir key agenda?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is presiding over a meeting of the ruling National Democratic Alliance MPs, sparking intense speculation about the intentions of the BJP-led dispensation.

The last major NDA parliamentary party meeting was held on July 2, 2024, after Modi was sworn in as the leader of the NDA alliance and prime minister for the third consecutive row.

Although subsequently NDA members were called sometimes for the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting conventionally scheduled for every Tuesday, the practice has become more irregular than regular in the recent past.

The alliance MPs’ meeting on Tuesday is significant as it comes on the sixth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.

On Monday, top security brass of the country met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his Parliament office.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka called on Shah.

The NDA meeting comes amid a major opposition offensive around special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, Congress’ constant questioning over US President Donald Trump’s claims regarding Operation Sindoor and his 25 per cent reciprocal tariff orders against India.

The meeting is also the first major show of NDA’s strength on the eve of Bihar polls.

A notice from the BJP on Monday said, “A meeting of the NDA Parliamentary party will be held at 9.30 AM on Tuesday, the 5th of August, in the GMC Balayogi Auditorium of the Parliamentary Library Building. All NDA members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are requested to attend.”

The meeting is being seen as significant in political circles given the importance of the date in PM Modi’s scheme of things.

It was on August 5, 2019, that the BJP led government abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir state into UTs of J&K and Ladakh. Then on August 5, 2020, PM Modi led the ground breaking ceremony at Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

Thus, the fulfilment of two key and long-standing ideological promises of the BJP happened on August 5.

The speculation about the government planning something big has gained further ground after PM Modi met President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday, followed by a call on by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Murmu.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met PM Modi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met colleagues JP Nadda, Piyush Goyal and Kiren Rijiju.