The Kashmir Pulse

NEW DELHI — Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) which has 12 MPs in the newly constituted Parliament will get two Cabinet berths and two MoS roles, party sources have said.

One of the party leaders told the news agency KNT that the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, which is likely to take oath on Saturday, will give two ministries – Railway and Petroleum to the JDU. He said two MoS roles will also be given to the party.

The Nitish Kumar-led party may also press for a Common Minimum Programme for the new NDA government and a coordination committee to ensure its implementation. A Common Minimum Programme is a resolution, outlining the shared agenda of parties in a coalition.

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SRINAGAR — The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is poised to take steps towards forming the government, with plans to officially stake their claim on Friday, following a series of strategic meetings and endorsements.

In a key meeting held in Delhi, NDA leaders unanimously named Narendra Modi as the leader of the alliance. Sources revealed that all NDA parties pledged their support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), solidifying Modi's position as their leader.

The decision comes after the BJP-led NDA secured an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha elections, winning a total of 292 seats, with the BJP alone claiming 240 seats, reaffirming its dominance in Indian politics. Despite the victory, the Congress-led INDIA bloc remains a formidable opposition, securing 234 seats.

In anticipation of the new government, President Droupadi Murmu dissolved the 17th Lok Sabha on Wednesday, acting upon the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet. This paved the way for the transition to the new administration.

As the NDA prepares for government formation, a meeting is scheduled for June 7, where NDA MPs will convene to formally elect Narendra Modi as their leader, further cementing his leadership role ahead of staking their claim.

"We acknowledge that government formation is a meticulous process requiring careful coordination," stated an NDA source. "It's crucial to ensure thorough preparation, which is why we've scheduled the official claim for Friday."

The unity within the NDA is evident as they gear up to establish the new government, with allies actively seeking key portfolios in the upcoming cabinet.

The swearing-in ceremony for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third term is expected to take place on the evening of June 8 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where new cabinet members will also be sworn in, marking the official commencement of the new government's tenure.

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SRINAGAR — The INDIA alliance has made a remarkable comeback in several key Hindi heartland states. The Samajwadi Party, a member of the alliance, achieved significant gains in Uttar Pradesh. The bloc also advanced in Rajasthan, Bihar, Haryana, and Jharkhand.

Despite the strong performance of the INDIA alliance, Prime Minister Modi's BJP-led NDA is poised to secure a third consecutive term in power, though not with the overwhelming majority predicted by various exit polls. Current results and trends suggest the National Democratic Alliance will secure 291 Lok Sabha seats, while the INDIA alliance is expected to tally 234 seats.

This outcome presents a sobering reality for the BJP, which appears to fall short of the majority mark of 272 seats, despite being ready to form the government. This result is in stark contrast to the BJP's dominant performance in 2019, when it independently secured 303 seats and the NDA crossed the 350-seat threshold.

The BJP has faced significant setbacks in its traditional strongholds of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan. However, it has made notable strides in states like Odisha, Telangana, and Kerala, indicating a mixed electoral performance across different regions.

Meanwhile, the unified opposition bloc under the INDIA banner, driven by collective resistance to the BJP's policies, has secured leads in approximately 230 seats. This coalition has achieved substantial gains across various states, posing a formidable challenge to the BJP's dominance.

This post first appeared on The Kashmir Pulse