NEW DELHI: With the majority of the NDA confirmed, Narendra Modi is all set to become the Prime Minister for the third time. As the BJP is short of majority, they will have to give up plum portfolios like defence, home, railway, finance and roads to its allies. They are adamant that these portfolios should be given to them.

The BJP will have to bow down to its allies if it wants to retain power. Reports said Chandrababu Naidu, the leader of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) who won 16 Lok Sabha seats and JD (U) leader with 12 seats, are bargaining hard for central posts. They are demanding Speaker’s post and ministerial berths of key portfolios.

The JD (U) are raising demands such as cabinet ministerial posts in railway, agriculture, industry and fertilizers, special status for Bihar and nationwide caste census. TDP’s main demand is the speaker’s post handled by the BJP during the first and second Modi governments. TDP leader is demanding the speaker’s post pointing the post held by GMC Balayogi during the Vajpayee government. It is hinted that Nitish has demanded three cabinet berths.

It is almost sure that Suresh Gopi, who opened an account for the BJP in Kerala, is sure to become a minister. Reports said that he is likely to get a cabinet rank. There is no chance for V Muraleedharan, who lost in the Attingal Lok Sabha constituency, to become a minister. However, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who has made significant progress in Thiruvananthapuram, is likely to be given an important portfolio.

Naidu is demanding cabinet ranks in road transport, rural development, education, health, housing urban affairs, agriculture, hydropower, IT and Telecom and Minister of State in finance. Amit Shah is likely to continue as the home minister and Rajnath Singh as the defence minister. None of the allied parties have demanded defence. Reports said Nirmala Seetharaman, Nitin Gadkari, S Jaishankar, Ashwani Vaishnav, Piyush Goyal, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Kiren Rijiju, Dharmendra Pradhan, Jitendra Singh, Bhupendra Yadav, Hardeep Singh Puri and Jyotiraditya Scindia are likely to continue. The portfolios for them are not clear.

The Shinde-led Shiv Sena having seven seats and Chirag Paswan's LJP with five seats are demanding more. It is heard that Chirag is demanding two ministerial berths. It will be a big challenge for the BJP to fulfill the demands of its allies and complete its third term.