The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) marked two years of Modi 3.0 on 9 June 2025 as a cohesive coalition government, confounding predictions of instability that followed the 2024 Lok Sabha election, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell short of an outright majority and relied on alliance partners to cross the 272-seat threshold. With 293 seats across a 44-party alliance in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the government has navigated two full years without a significant coalition rupture.

How the Coalition Held

When the 2024 results came in, critics argued that dependence on Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) and Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP) made the government structurally fragile. That forecast has not materialised. Both regional partners have remained firmly in the alliance fold, and the NDA has reportedly steered several major bills through Parliament spanning economic reforms, social legislation, and constitutional amendments.

Notably, Nitish Kumar, the 75-year-old veteran JD(U) leader, has since transitioned to the Centre as a Rajya Sabha member, voluntarily stepping back from his earlier role and endorsing Samrat Choudhary as Bihar's new BJP Chief Minister — a succession that proceeded without public friction within the alliance.

Allies Pen Tributes to Modi's Leadership

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, writing in The Indian Express, described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as having 'rediscovered India's cultural pride and national self-belief.' He asserted that the milestone reflects 'the enduring trust that millions of Indians have placed in a model of governance anchored in the principle of Nation First,' and characterised the present moment as 'the beginning of a golden era for India.'

Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Deve Gowda, writing in The Times of India, reflected that Modi becoming the longest continuously serving democratically elected Prime Minister — surpassing the record of Jawaharlal Nehru — reflects 'both the strength and evolution of Indian democracy.' He credited Modi's leadership with what he described as 'uncompromising protection of national interest and sustained public support.'

The nonagenarian JD(S) leader has reportedly announced his retirement from electoral politics, opting out of the Rajya Sabha race and bringing to a close a parliamentary career spanning nearly seven decades.

The Nehru Comparison: Context and Caveats

Deve Gowda offered a nuanced reading of the record. He noted that Nehru's first term began without a direct popular vote — the first general election was held between 1951 and 1952 — and that the Congress at the time functioned as a dominant force with minimal organised opposition. By contrast, when Modi assumed office in 2014 and returned for a third term in 2024, India had, according to Deve Gowda, 'transformed significantly in terms of diversity and economic complexity.'

He also observed that leaders such as Modi and himself did not benefit from dynastic or privileged political backgrounds, and lacked the 'inherited political capital, patronage, or social advantage' that historically served as springboards into national leadership — a point that implicitly distinguishes their trajectories from those of political dynasties.

Opposition Bloc Under Pressure

While the NDA consolidates, the Opposition coalition has faced its own turbulence, with the INDIA bloc struggling to maintain internal coherence since the 2024 election. The contrast between a stable ruling alliance and a fragmented opposition has, analysts note, reinforced the government's narrative of continuity and decisive governance heading into the second half of its term.

What the Next Phase Looks Like

With the government now in the latter half of its five-year term, attention will shift to whether legislative momentum is sustained and whether state-level electoral outcomes — particularly in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, home states of the two key allies — test the alliance's cohesion. For now, the coalition that many predicted would fracture within months has, by all available signals, held firm.