Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Telugu Desam Party (TDP)’s Chandrababu Naidu have emerged as kingmakers after the BJP failed to secure a majority in the Lok Sabha election. Both the leaders will play crucial role in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) forming a government at the Centre.

Given the situation, the kingmakers are expected to extract their pound of flesh to support the new government. They are said to have raised specific demands in their letters of support they submitted on June 5.

The demands are said to have been raised during the NDA meeting at the PM residence on the same day.

JDU-Nitish Kumar’s demands

According to reports, Janata Dal (United) (JDU) leader Nitish Kumar has set his eyes on ministries like railways, agriculture, and finance in the Union Cabinet.

Meanwhile, a JDU leader reportedly said that Kumar has demanded some ministries in the cabinet keeping in mind the development of Bihar, to speed up the strengthening of Bihar's infrastructure.

The Bihar CM also wants to implement Bihar’s caste enumeration module across the country. The JDU is demanding a caste census across the country by the central government.

Notably, caste-based census was also one of the selling points of the opposition INDIA bloc’s manifesto.

Last year, the reservation quota was increased to 75% based on the caste census conducted in Bihar. The Nitish government had also provided financial assistance of ₹2 lakh to poor families.

Apart from this, some JDU leaders have also expressed their desire before Nitish to hold early assembly elections in Bihar. This is for the JDU to take advantage of the good show  in the Lok Sabha election and improve their position in the assembly. JDU currently has 45 MLAs in Bihar, while ally BJP has 78 MLAs.

After the Lok Sabha election results, the JDU is also said to have demanded a special status for Bihar to support the NDA. JDU MLC Khalid Anwar said that social and economic development of Bihar requires huge amounts of money. This is why the JDU wants a special status for Bihar and huge funds from the Centre.

TDP-Chandrababu Naidu’s demands

TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu, on the other hand, has reportedly demanded the position of Lok Sabha Speaker.

The Speaker holds one of the most powerful positions in Lok Sabha. In the event of a hung parliament (where no single political party or pre-existing coalition has an absolute majority of legislators in the parliament), the Speaker will play an important role.

A TDP MP reportedly said the party wants the ministries of rural development, housing and urban affairs, ports and shipping, road transport and highways, and Jal Shakti.

TDP is also keen to have a junior minister in the finance ministry. TDP has secured a majority in Andhra Pradesh, a state believed to be in dire need of funds.

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Nitish and Naidu in demand: Will they stick to NDA?