The Crossbill News Desk
The Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) inability to win a majority on its in the 18th Lok Sabha polls, has given Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) chief and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar enough leverage to bargain.
After the INDIA bloc sprung a surprise by winning 232 seats, the BJP will have to depend on the support of allies such as JD(U) and N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to form the next government.
The BJP has won 240 Lok Sabha seats - 32 short of the majority mark. TDP and JDU together hold 28 seats and along with BJP's other allies, NDA will be past the magic figure.
However, Nitish Kumar is not ready to let the opportunity go without getting his demands met. Bihar chief minister is eyeing more ministerial berths for JD(U) MPs, central funds, early assembly polls, and special status for Bihar, reported the Hindustan Times.
A JD(U) leader said, “JD(U) is in a better bargaining position now. We are hoping to get at least four Cabinet berths. One more MOS post could be asked for,” quoted the newspaper.
He added the party is looking for forward for portfolios such as railways, rural development, and water resources as they would put JD(U) in a better position to get infrastructure projects for Bihar. “We want portfolios that give us leverage in accelerating development in the state,” said the JD(U) leader.
On the issue of early assembly polls in Bihar, another JD(U) told Hindustan Times, “The idea is to have early polls...maybe in six months...The BJP and its other allies have to agree. But we are going to strongly pitch for it.”
Early polls may help JD(U) increase its strength in the 243-member Bihar assembly, where the party currently has 45 MLAs, argued the JD(U) leader.
After the INDIA bloc sprung a surprise by winning 232 seats, the BJP will have to depend on the support of allies such as JD(U) and N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to form the next government.
The BJP has won 240 Lok Sabha seats - 32 short of the majority mark. TDP and JDU together hold 28 seats and along with BJP's other allies, NDA will be past the magic figure.
However, Nitish Kumar is not ready to let the opportunity go without getting his demands met. Bihar chief minister is eyeing more ministerial berths for JD(U) MPs, central funds, early assembly polls, and special status for Bihar, reported the Hindustan Times.
A JD(U) leader said, “JD(U) is in a better bargaining position now. We are hoping to get at least four Cabinet berths. One more MOS post could be asked for,” quoted the newspaper.
He added the party is looking for forward for portfolios such as railways, rural development, and water resources as they would put JD(U) in a better position to get infrastructure projects for Bihar. “We want portfolios that give us leverage in accelerating development in the state,” said the JD(U) leader.
On the issue of early assembly polls in Bihar, another JD(U) told Hindustan Times, “The idea is to have early polls...maybe in six months...The BJP and its other allies have to agree. But we are going to strongly pitch for it.”
Early polls may help JD(U) increase its strength in the 243-member Bihar assembly, where the party currently has 45 MLAs, argued the JD(U) leader.
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