TDP Expected to Bag Four Portfolios, JDU Two in Upcoming Cabinet Reshuffle
New Delhi, 8th June 2024: In New Delhi, sources indicate that Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is slated to receive four portfolios in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming cabinet, while the Janata Dal (United) or JDU is set to secure two positions. Among the potential TDP appointees are Ram Mohan Naidu, Harish Balayogi, and Daggumalla Prasad.
The JDU has proposed the names of two seasoned leaders, Lalan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur. Singh, who won a seat in Bihar’s Munger constituency, and Thakur, a Rajya Sabha MP, have been nominated by the party. Notably, Ram Nath Thakur is the son of the late Karpoori Thakur, a recipient of the Bharat Ratna.
These decisions were reached during a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting held in anticipation of the government’s swearing-in ceremony tomorrow.
Reports suggest that the TDP, having secured 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh, had initially requested four portfolios and the parliamentary speaker’s position. Meanwhile, the JD(U), with 12 seats to its credit, sought two cabinet berths.
Both Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu emerged as significant power brokers following the BJP’s shortfall of 272 seats for a majority government. Despite this, the NDA managed to secure 293 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, paving the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third consecutive term inauguration this Sunday.
These coalition negotiations hearken back to the pre-2014 era, characterized by alliance partners bargaining for positions and advantages.
Amid speculation of a potential reunion between Nitish Kumar and the INDIA bloc, subsequent to the BJP’s failure to secure a solitary majority, sources close to Nitish Kumar refuted such claims on Thursday. However, they hinted at past grievances, reminding BJP leaders of Nitish Kumar’s departure from the INDIA bloc over delays in appointing him as its Convenor.
Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming swearing-in ceremony, scheduled for Sunday, will mark his third consecutive term, matching the achievement of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Leaders from neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Mauritius, are expected to attend the ceremony.
