The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced the results for all 543 Lok Sabha seats that were contested from April 19 to June 1.

The results revealed that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) fell short of the majority mark amid a strong performance by the Opposition INDIA bloc.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 240 seats, falling short of the 272 required for a majority. The Congress, meanwhile, won 99 seats. With the BJP needing support from its NDA allies to form the government, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar and TDP leader N. Chandrababu Naidu have emerged as potential kingmakers.

Who are kingmakers?

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), led by Chandrababu Naidu, won 16 Lok Sabha seats, while Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) secured 12 seats in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, respectively. Together, Naidu and Kumar hold 28 seats, giving them significant influence within the NDA. Both leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to the NDA and will attend the alliance meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Nitish Kumar’s long-standing relationship with the BJP dates back to the mid-1990s when he co-founded the Samata Party with veteran socialist leader George Fernandes, opposing then Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad. This alliance with the BJP, which ruled from 1998 to 2004, provided Kumar with crucial political exposure as he held key cabinet positions under the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. In 2005, Kumar's JD(U), formed after merging with another Janata faction, won the Bihar assembly polls, making him chief minister.

In the current scenario, despite contesting only 16 seats, Nitish Kumar’s party emerged as the largest entity in Bihar, surpassing the RJD and BJP.

Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP also performed well, winning 16 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh. The BJP and Janasena Party, TDP’s allies, secured three and two seats respectively. Naidu has re-established himself as a crucial player within the NDA, becoming the second-largest party in the alliance after the BJP.

Naidu’s political journey saw a significant setback when he was arrested on September 9, 2023, in connection with the skill development scam case. He spent nearly two months in Rajamahendravaram central jail before being released on interim bail on October 31, which became permanent on November 20. This release allowed him to prepare for the 2024 elections and rejoin the BJP-led NDA alliance.

With the BJP falling short of a majority, the roles of Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu will be pivotal in shaping the future government at the Centre.