New Delhi: Deliberations and parlays played out in Delhi on Friday among partners of the National Democratic Alliance who were looking to secure some key berths in the Cabinet as well as in the Council of Ministers.
With two days left for the swearing-in, BJP president J P Nadda and senior leader Amit Shah held deliberations with leaders of each of the NDA parties throughout the day. Portfolios, whoever, will be distributed only on Monday – a day after the swearing-in, said BJP sources.
The Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party is keen on an attractive financial package for the state, along with its long-term demand of Special Status for Andhra Pradesh. Senior party leader and MP-elect Rammohan Naidu said that there are some key interest areas
“We need to rebuild the state, we need a Capital, and we have a lot of water resource projects which did not see any progress in the last five years. To develop our state we are looking at a role from the Centre. Some of the areas of interest for the growth story of Andhra Pradesh are urban affairs, Information Technology, water resources, road transport. The core of it is financial aid from the Centre,” Naidu said.
Sources among the NDA parties said that while parties like Nationalist Congress Party, Shiv Sena (Eknath faction) and Janata Dal (Secular) will be given a Cabinet berth each, the TDP could get two Cabinet berths along with two ministry of state positions.
The JD(U), too, could be given two Cabinet berths. The agriculture ministry has emerged as a sought after one, with the JD(U), TDP and even JD(S) asking for it.
DH had earlier reported that the BJP is not keen on giving away six key ministries. This includes Home, Finance, Defence, Railways, Law and Information Technology. Sources said that as many as 30 ministers could be sworn in on Sunday along with prime minister Narendra Modi.
At the NDA meet, Chandrababu Naidu, though praising Modi for his performance, ended his speech with a quote from his mentor, father-in-law and TDP founder NT Rama Rao: “I don’t do any ‘ism’; I know only one ‘ism’ – humanism.”
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