The BJP has called a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance in Delhi on Tuesday, a move that appeared aimed at countering the Opposition’s meeting in Bangalore the same day and showcasing that the ruling combine too has many backers.

Invitations for the meeting, to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been sent to leaders of 19 parties, including smaller ones heading dynastic outfits, like Chirag Paswan, Om Prakash Rajbhar and Jitan Ram Manjhi, sources said.

The BJP had not cared much about such regional and sub-regional outfits till recently, confident that “brand Modi” was enough to win elections. But with the Opposition joining hands for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the party appears to be betraying nerves. For the first time in the second tenure of Modi, an NDA meeting of this scale is being held.

Home minister Amit Shah has over the last couple of days been meeting leaders of some of these regional outfits and working out their association with the BJP.

On Sunday, Shah tweeted a picture of a meeting with Rajbhar, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party leader from Uttar Pradesh, and welcomed him to the NDA. Shah said Rajbhar’s return would strengthen the NDA in the state.

A day earlier, Shah had met Dara Singh Chouhan, another OBC leader from Uttar Pradesh. Both Rajbhar and Chouhan had snapped ties with the BJP and aligned with the Samajwadi Party. Chouhan, a sitting Samajwadi MLA, has quit and is set to join the BJP.

In Bihar, the BJP is courting Chirag, the leader of the LJP (Paswan faction), Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha, who heads the Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal.

Ruling allies from the north-eastern states and smaller parties from the south have also been invited. The Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar of the NCP will participate.