With the BJP falling tantalizingly short of a majority in the Lok Sabha, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies have donned their negotiation hats. The seasoned duo of N. Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar—both well-versed in the art of coalition politics—have stepped into the spotlight.
In the clandestine corridors of power, whispers abound about their demands.
While no official communiqué has surfaced, insiders reveal that Naidu’s Telugu
Desam Party (TDP), fresh from winning 16 Lok Sabha seats and sweeping the
Andhra Pradesh Assembly polls, is eyeing a juicy slice of the ministerial pie.
Their wishlist includes not one, not two, but five ministerial berths.
Among these, a Minister of State post for Finance and the coveted Lok Sabha
Speaker’s chair feature prominently. But wait, there’s more: portfolios like
Roads, Panchayati Raj, Health, and Education are also on their radar.
Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United (JDU) isn’t one to be outdone. Bihar’s
wily Chief Minister has his own shopping list. Picture this: central
funds, early polls, and a special status for Bihar. If Kumar and
Naidu decide to switch allegiances, the INDIA bloc’s seat count could soar from
232 to 260, leaving the NDA gasping just 12 seats shy of a majority
As the sun sets over the political battlefield, the game of thrones
intensifies. Will Modi’s new coalition yield a harmonious symphony or a
cacophony of competing ambitions? Only time—and the bargaining tables—will
tell.