Did Sharad Pawar Dial Nitish Kumar, CB Naidu Amid Results? What He Said

Sharad Pawar denied reports that he has reached out to Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) head Chandrababu Naidu.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has crossed the halfway mark in the Lok Sabha elections, but the lead is narrower than what exit polls had predicted. The NDA is currently ahead on 290 seats, while the opposition INDIA alliance is ahead on 234. A party or an alliance needs to cross the 272 mark in the 543 member Lok Sabha to form the government.

The narrow margin has prompted talks that the Opposition may reach out to some of the BJP's allies, a charge Nationalist Congress Party patriarch Sharad Pawar has denied.

During a press conference, Mr Pawar denied reports that he has reached out to Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) head Chandrababu Naidu.