Nitish Kumar likely to bargain for at least 4 Cabinet berths, early state polls, funds
The BJP’s inability to win a majority on its own means it will depend on the support of allies such as Nitish Kumar to form the next government
Chief minister Nitish Kumar was expected to bargain hard and seek more ministerial berths, central funds, early assembly polls, and special status for Bihar as 12 Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) members of Parliament (MP) have become critical to the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.
The BJP’s inability to win a majority on its own means it will depend on the support of allies such as Kumar to form the next government. The NDA is comfortably above the majority mark (272) in the 543-member Lok Sabha. The BJP has fallen short of the halfway mark for the first time since 2014. The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance won 233 seats.
People aware of the matter said Kumar wants at least four to five Cabinet berths. The JD(U) was promised at least three Cabinet berths and one minister of state (MOS) before the election results. “ 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,” said a JD(U) leader on condition of anonymity.
He said the party is keen on 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.
Kumar is believed to be favouring early assembly polls to take advantage of the conducive environment towards the JD(U) and NDA, which got 30 of Bihar’s 40 Lok Sabha seats.
“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,” said a second JD(U) leader. He said early polls may help JD(U) increase its strength in the 243-member assembly, where the party has 45 lawmakers.
State BJP leaders have opposed JD(U)’s demand for early polls. The assembly polls in Bihar are due in October-November.
Kumar is expected to seek a higher allocation of central funds to execute the Bihar Laghu Udhyami Yojana, which was announced in February to provide ₹2 lakh assistance to 9.4 million poor families identified in the 2023 socio-economic survey.
The state Cabinet approved an allocation of ₹2.5 lakh crore for five years to fund the scheme. It also cleared a proposal to send a request to the Centre to accord special status to Bihar as it would enable the state to get more funds.
JD(U) lawmaker Khalid Anwar said they want Bihar’s development and to uplift the poor identified in the caste survey by giving them financial help for employment and entrepreneurship.
JD(U) leader K C Tyagi on Tuesday said the party has been demanding the special status. He added it has put forth the demand more strongly as JD(U) is now a key NDA ally at the Centre.
