While Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP won 16 seats in Andhra Pradesh, Nitish Kumar’s JDU secured 12 in Bihar.
The Janata Dal (United) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP), both part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), will support the BJP’s nominee for the Lok Sabha Speaker position, according to JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi.
“JDU (Janata Dal-United) and TDP (Telugu Desam Party) are firmly in the NDA. We will support the person nominated (for Speaker) by BJP,” Tyagi told reporters.
Tyagi’s statement suggests that the BJP will likely nominate its candidate for the Speaker’s post, rather than choosing someone from its allied parties. This comes in the backdrop of reports that the TDP had requested the Speaker’s position. The election for the post is scheduled for June 26 during the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha.
As the BJP kept plum posts for itself, it is pretty evident that the party may even retain the Lok Sabha Speaker’s position rather than acceding to TDP’s reported demands.
Last week, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray had urged the TDP and JD(U), crucial allies of the NDA government at the Centre, to demand the Lok Sabha Speaker’s post.
Thackeray took to X (formerly Twitter) to say, “A humble suggestion to the possible allies of the BJP in the newly remembered NDA: Get the post of the Speaker.”
Referring to splits in the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Thackeray warned, “Having experienced the tactics of the BJP, the minute they form government with you, they will break the promises and try to break your parties too. You’ll have experienced it earlier,” tagging the TDP and JDU in the post.
Late TDP leader GMC Balayogi served as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as prime minister, before he tragically died in a helicopter crash in Andhra Pradesh in 2002.
As the BJP has failed to cross the majority mark on its own, the support of TDP and JDU along with other allies including the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Chirag Paswan’s LJP has become critical for Narendra Modi’s third term as PM.
While Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP won 16 seats in Andhra Pradesh, Nitish Kumar’s JDU secured 12 in Bihar. With their 28 and additions from other allies, the NDA has 293 seats, of which the BJP has bagged 240.
The TDP and JDU, which have emerged as kingmakers, had put forth their demands, which reportedly include the Speaker’s post.
TDP’s Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has been assigned the role of Civil Aviation Minister, while C Pemmasani, the wealthiest candidate under the Modi Government, takes on the responsibilities of Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications.
JD(U) MP Lallan Singh has been given the Panchayati Raj Ministry alongside Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying. Ram Nath Thakur, another JD(U) leader, will serve as the Minister of State for Agriculture.
