BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has called up and congratulated Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister-elect, within hours of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina speaking to him over phone.
Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat, led a powerful and efficiently crafted campaign that swept his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power with the first clear mandate won by any party in 30 years.
Khaleda and her party were the first from Bangladesh to congratulate him after he won a thumping victory in the Indian general election. Later, Hasina, too, congratulated Modi over his win.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Modi’s BJP won 336 of the 543 seats in India’s lower house of parliament, making it the first time in a quarter of a century that the country will not be led by a coalition government.
Khaleda, from her Gulshan office, around 10:15pm Sunday spoke with Modi for five minutes over phone, her Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told bdnews24.com.
He said both leaders expressed the hope to work together on issues of mutual interest.
BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Vice-Chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury, her advisors and several others were also present when the conversation took place.
On Sunday morning, Prime Minister Hasina called up to congratulate Modi.
Modi’s swearing-in as the next Indian prime minister is yet to be finalised