Chandrababu Naidu's TDP is set to receive three portfolios in the new cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the JDU will be allotted two positions, according to sources.
The three TDP leaders likely to be included in PM Modi's new cabinet are Ram Mohan Naidu, Harish Balayogi, and Pemasani Chandrasekhar.
Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) has proposed two senior leaders for cabinet positions: Lalan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur.
Lalan Singh was elected to the Lok Sabha from Bihar's Munger, while Ram Nath Thakur, a Rajya Sabha MP, is the son of Bharat Ratna recipient Karpoori Thakur.
The decision was made at a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting to finalize cabinet allocations ahead of the government's swearing-in ceremony tomorrow.
According to sources, the TDP requested three portfolios and the post of Parliamentary Speaker after securing 16 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh. The JD(U) asked for two cabinet berths after winning 12 seats.
Mr. Kumar and Mr. Naidu emerged as kingmakers after the BJP secured only 240 seats, falling short of the 272 needed for a majority government.
The NDA clinched 293 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, marking a significant victory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be sworn in for a third consecutive term on Sunday.
These coalition negotiations are reminiscent of the pre-2014 era, before PM Modi's BJP achieved an outright majority, when alliance partners negotiated for positions and benefits.
Speculation about a potential reunion between Nitish Kumar and the INDIA bloc surfaced on Tuesday evening after it became clear the BJP would not achieve the 272 seats needed for a majority on its own.
Senior INDIA leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, suggested extending an olive branch to Nitish Kumar.
However, on Thursday, sources close to Nitish Kumar ruled out this possibility but added a note of caution; during ministerial berth negotiations, the BJP was reportedly reminded of Kumar's departure from the INDIA bloc over delays in naming him as its convenor.
PM Modi will take the oath on Sunday for a third straight term, matching the record of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Leaders from several neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Mauritius, will attend the swearing-in ceremony.
