Government formation: BJP struggles as TDP, JD(U) press for key cabinet posts

New Delhi: With the BJP falling short of a simple majority to form the government at the Centre, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Janata Dal United (JDU) are posing formidable challenges to the party. Reports indicate that both parties have put forth significant demands to Amit Shah ahead of the NDA meeting.

The leaders of NDA constituents convened at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence on Wednesday and elected him as their leader. Notably, Amit Shah, who usually stands beside Modi during NDA meetings, sat beside Rajnath Singh, the BJP president, following JP Nadda. TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, LJP(R) leader Chirag Paswan, JD(S) leader H D Kumarawamy, Jana Sena's Pawan Kalyan, AGP's Atul Bora and NCP's Praful Patel were among the 21 leaders from 16 parties who attended the meeting besides Modi and BJP's Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and J P Nadda.

Senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, held deliberations on Thursday as the ruling NDA set in motion its government formation efforts under the leadership of PM Modi. They met at BJP president J P Nadda's residence in what is seen as part of the party's exercise to reach out to allies over issues like their share of ministerial berths and pick the probables from within their party for the coalition government.

NDA MPs will meet on June 7 to formally elect Modi as their leader and the alliance leaders will then go to the President to submit their letters of support, HAM (Secular) leader and former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said after attending the meeting. The BJP is optimistic that some of the seven independents will support the NDA. There are indications that the swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for 8 pm on June 8.

The TDP is also vying for the position of Speaker, in addition to cabinet posts. Rumours suggest they have also requested the Home Minister portfolio. Meanwhile, the JD(U) has presented demands such as cabinet positions in Railways, Agriculture, Industries, and Fertilisers, as well as the special status for Bihar and a nationwide caste census. The TDP is advocating for special status for Andhra Pradesh. The BJP opposes these demands. The JD(S) is also eyeing key ministries like agriculture.

President Droupadi Murmu dissolved the 17th Lok Sabha on Wednesday on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet, according to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Cabinet, in its meeting held on Wednesday, advised the President to dissolve the current Lok Sabha with immediate effect, it said. The term of the current Lok Sabha was to end on June 16.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi tendered his resignation to President Murmu, who accepted it and asked him to continue until the new government assumes office.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won a majority in the Lok Sabha election. While the NDA is comfortably above the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha, the BJP, which won 240 seats, has fallen short of the magic number for the first time since 2014 and is critically dependent on its allies for government formation.