New Delhi: The push and pull of coalition politics is back in national stage with JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, one of the two kingmakers, placing his demands of a Bihar special package, greater share of cabinet berths among others for extending support to the Modi government, ThePrint has learnt.
Telugu Desam Party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, too, is keen on Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh among other conditions to guarantee stability, according to TDP insiders.
As the BJP failed to achieve the magic figure of 272 in the Lok Sabha, Nitish and Naidu are now in the driver’s seat to put in their demands before the ruling party’s high command. The TDP and the JD(U) are the largest and second largest ally of the NDA with 16 and 12 seats, respectively.
While the BJP had rebuffed Nitish’s claim on four Cabinet seats in 2019, the JD(U) will not miss this opportunity to regain its strength in Bihar and bargain hard in exchange for staying with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Its bargaining chip is also bolstered by the fact that Bihar is headed for polls next year.
“After the division (of the state in 2000), Bihar is not left with mineral resources like Jharkhand. Educational institutes all went to Jharkhand. Bihar was left dry like a desert with extreme poverty. The Raghuram Rajan Committee was asked to look into the issues, but the Modi government did not accept its recommendations. The 15th Finance Commission headed by N. K. Singh did not include the grant of Special Category Status to states in its terms of reference,” JD(U) leader K.C.Tyagi told ThePrint.
In 2013, the Centre-appointed panel had suggested a new methodology for devolving funds to states based on a Multi Dimensional Index (MDI). It identified Bihar as among the least developed states, buttressing the state’s case for seeking larger quantum of funds.
“The JD(U) has compensated the loss (of the NDA). So, we have demanded that the central government should give a special package to Bihar for creation of jobs and employment. We are again demanding the prime minister: For Bihar’s growth, a special package is the need of the hour. The JD(U) will press for it,” Tyagi said.
The JD(U)’s support is unconditional and it (the demand for special status) should not be seen as a condition for support, the former Rajya Sabha MP asserted.
In his election campaign, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had said that he would not leave the NDA camp, but the swing in electoral fortunes has changed the political realities for the BJP.
One of the other major points in its wish list is proportional representation in the Union cabinet. In 2019, Nitish had refused the offer of one cabinet berth but senior leader RCP Singh was inducted into the cabinet two years later. Singh went on to join the BJP in 2023 after his ties with Nitish fell apart for his growing leaning towards the BJP.
The NDA ally is now seeking more than two cabinet berths. “Since the JD(U) got mandate of disadvantages group and socially backward community and women especially, we want our share should be proportional in the cabinet to respect mandate as assembly election is approaching. It (the demand) should be looked into, too,” Tyagi said.
The JD(U) leader further said that there should be legal backing to MSP, saying that the big message from the mandate is that farmers are miffed with the central government.
“From UP and Rajasthan to Haryana and Punjab, the BJP suffered a loss due to farmers’ anger. It is not just restricted to the Jats only. The farming community is suffering, and it’s time to bail them out by backing the legal demand on MSP,” he said.
“The farmers protested for two years, and it did not go well in the farming community. Why should farmers sell their produce below the price? The Modi government needs to work on this issue. When they are relaxing rules for others, why leave out our farmers? It’s our demand from the time of (former prime minister) Charan Singh to legalise the MSP.”
The Nitish-led party, however, has no objection to the proposed implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country even as the TDP, in the past, has maintained that it would never go against the interests of the Muslims.
“Nitish Kumar supported it (UCC), but the population control discussion should be first put on the agenda of meeting with chief ministers and consensus should be reached if the BJP wants to implement it,” he said.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has been calling for the need to build consensus on population control and for a policy to counter demographic balance in the country.
“Nitish Kumar has worked hard enough for marginalised communities and women. Modi has own popularity but Nitish Kumar has added votes. This Bihar mandate has compensated the loss of JD(U) of 2020 when (LJP leader) Chirag Paswan dented the party’s chances in at least 43 seats, else it would have been topped the list in Bihar,” Tyagi said.
Similarly, the TDP is likely to seek the speaker post with special status for Andhra and additional funds to restart capital development at Amravati which was stalled by former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.
In 2018, Naidu had exited from the Modi government after then finance minister Arun Jaitley ruled out special category status for Andhra Pradesh.
Another demand is funds for completion of the long pending Polavaram irrigation project as Naidu promised to deliver in 2 years, in his election campaign.
“The TDP wants a good infrastructure portfolio, with (Naidu’s son) Nara Lokesh’s elevation in central role as well as probe into Jagan’s corruption. It all depends on how the BJP leadership decides the role of the TDP in the alliance,” a TDP insider told ThePrint.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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