NDA Coalition Negotiations Begin: BJP Allies Demand Ministerial Positions

New Delhi, 6th June 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently led a strategic session of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), focusing on the formation of the new government post the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Alongside BJP stalwarts like Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Rajnath Singh, the gathering saw participation from key figures of NDA coalition partners, including N Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party, Nitish Kumar of Janata Dal (United), HD Kumaraswamy of Janata Dal (Secular), Eknath Shinde of Shiv Sena, and Chirag Paswan of Lok Janshakti Party.

Despite the BJP falling short of a standalone majority with 240 seats, the support of allies such as TDP, JDU, and Shiv Sena bolstered the NDA’s total to 293 seats. As formal invitations for government formation await presidential endorsement, requests from BJP’s coalition partners for their share in the new administration have begun to emerge.

Here’s a glimpse of the expectations from BJP’s allies for the upcoming NDA 3.0:

– TDP, led by Chandrababu Naidu, seeks significant roles including the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post, alongside 7-8 Cabinet positions and 1 MoS portfolio in critical sectors.

– JD(U), under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, aims for 3 Cabinet positions.

– Shiv Sena, while affirming its support for Prime Minister Modi, desires 1 Cabinet position and 2 MoS roles in the new government, leveraging its 7 Lok Sabha seats to assert influence.

– JD(S), BJP’s ally in Karnataka, eyes the Agriculture portfolio, highlighting its contribution to BJP’s electoral success in key constituencies.

– LJP (Ram Vilas), headed by Chirag Paswan, anticipates one Cabinet and one MoS position in the upcoming NDA administration.

– HAM(S), led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, former Bihar CM, seeks a Cabinet berth to play a crucial role in the new government setup.