Naidu, Nitish may demand SCS for AP, Bihar

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) may demand Special Category Status (SCS) for their respective states.
Naidu is expected to discuss key issues with top NDA leaders during a significant meeting on Friday, which has garnered attention from the people of Andhra Pradesh.
The TDP chief will join the meeting of NDA parliament members on Friday, a day before Narendra Modi takes oath as Prime Minister for the third time on June 9. Reports suggest that Chandrababu Naidu plans to remain in Delhi until Modi’s oath-taking ceremony on Sunday.
Granting SCS to Bihar has been a long-pending demand of the JD(U) supremo. The Bihar cabinet, headed by Kumar, had even passed a resolution last year requesting the Centre to grant SCS to the state.
The Centre had previously said it would not entertain demands for “special category status” from any state, in view of the 14th Finance Commission’s recommendation. The SCS was introduced in 1969 to benefit certain backward states with hilly terrains, strategic international borders, and economic and infrastructural backwardness.
With 12 MPs, the JD(U) is the second biggest BJP ally after the Telugu Desam Party’s 16 in the NDA. The backing of allies like the JD(U) and TDP is crucial for the BJP to form the government at the Centre, as the saffron party could not reach the majority mark on its own in the Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, senior JD(U) leader and Bihar minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said, “The JD(U) is part of the NDA and will remain with it. However, there are certain demands of the JD(U) related to the financial condition and economy of Bihar that must be fulfilled by the Centre. Our demand for special category status for Bihar is fully justified and needs to be fulfilled. We stick to our demand for SCS for Bihar.”
Reports also suggest Naidu is interested in the Lok Sabha Speaker’s position.
 Additionally, he may seek eight central Cabinet ministers, including Road Transport, Rural Development, Health, Housing and Urban Affairs, Agriculture, IT and Communications, Education, and MoS Finance.
Should Delhi leaders accept Naidu’s conditions, Andhra Pradesh could see substantial development, with significant job and opportunity growth for residents across various sectors.
This election has been a game-changer for Andhra Pradesh and the TDP, allowing them to demand a substantial share from the centre for the state’s development, unlike in the 2019 elections. The Central government, falling short of the 272-seat majority to form the government independently, presents a unique advantage for Andhra Pradesh.
Media outlets are closely monitoring the actions of Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, both playing pivotal roles in forming the NDA-led government with Narendra Modi as Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, BJP AP president D. Purandeswari also left for Delhi on Thursday morning after a significant win from the Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha seat.
Media outlets are closely monitoring the actions of Chandrababu Naidu and Nitish Kumar, both playing pivotal roles in forming the NDA-led government with Narendra Modi as Prime Minister.  Meanwhile, BJP AP president D. Purandeswari also left for Delhi on Thursday morning after a significant win from the Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha seat.