Nitish Kumar May Seek More Concessions from BJP in Exchange of More Government Stake

Nitish Kumar's JD(U), with 12 critical MPs, is expected to bargain hard with the BJP for more Cabinet berths, early Bihar polls, higher central funds, and special status for the state to support the NDA government.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the BJP failed to secure a clear majority and Janata Dal-United (JDU) led by Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister has the upper hand in bargaining for more seats and other facilities from the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre.

According to sources, Kumar will now demand a minimum 4of -5 Cabinet berths for JD(U) out of the total numbers which were earlier assured four Cabinet and one MoS position. Sustaining a government requires many more than a mere number of MPs. Hence, the JD(U) is demanding more ministries such as Railways, Rural Development , and Water Resources to ensure more infrastructural development in Bihar.

According to a JD(U) leader, these should be portfolios that put the party in a vantage position when it comes to driving state development.

But apart from a straight increase in ministerial representation, Kumar is also expected to press for mid-term Assembly polls in Bihar within the next 6 months to cash in on the existing political situation. JD(U) currently has 45 MLAs in the Bihar House comprising o43 members and it wants to get more seats in the coming Assembly polls.

Besides, the Chief Minister will demand higher quantitative funds, to implement the recently launched Bihar Laghu Udhyami Yojana scheme, to provide an amount of ₹2 lahks to 9. Out of the total poor families identified in the state’s socio-economic survey, four million are families belonging to the poor section.

Another major expectation from Kumar could be the special category state status to Bihar so that it gets further more funds from the center for de-development-related schemes.

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Given that the NDA is still in a vulnerable position due to the absence of a majority and requires the upport of regional allies like the JD(U), Nitish Kumar seems to be in a good position of strength as the negotiations for the government formation begin.