After two terms of absolute power, the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fallen sort of the majority mark in the Lok Sabha. The party will need the support of its NDA allies to form the government for a third time.
But the allies are going to want their pound of flesh, considering the reported snub by the saffron party over the past decade.
With Telugu Desam Party (TDP) winning 16 seats, Chandrababu Naidu support to the NDA is conditional.
However, the trickier alliance for the BJP is that with Nitish Kumar's JDU, considering his constant flip-flops.
The breakaway factions of the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) may have to take a relook at their strategies and alliances, given their under-performace on the ballot.
Last, but not the least, Chirag Paswan's Lok Janashakti Party (Ram Vilas) will get bargaining power if, and only if, INDIA bloc just needs five more seats to form the government.