BJP’s south push: TDP, Janasena likely to get significant roles in Modi govt

Rewarding the BJP‘s coalition partners in the southern states, Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi is set to induct several MPs from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana into his Council of Ministers, sources said on Sunday. Modi will on Sunday take oath for a third consecutive term as prime minister, along with members of his council. Two MPs each from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the BJP in Andhra Pradesh, where the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 21 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats, will take oath alongside Modi, the sources said.

Three-time MP Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu is likely to get a Cabinet berth while first-timer Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani may be made a Minister of State.

Industrialist and TDP leader Jayadev Galla congratulated the two leaders on their likely induction.

From the BJP’s quota in Andhra Pradesh, where it bagged three seats, state unit chief Daggubati Purandeshwari and Narsapuram MP Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma are tipped for ministerial berths.

The Janasena, which won two seats in Andhra Pradesh as a constituent of the NDA, is likely to get the deputy speaker’s post in the Lok Sabha. From Telangana, where the saffron party made huge gains, bagging eight seats of the available 17, Bandi Sanjay and G Kishan Reddy are likely to take oath. From the BJP’s quota in Karnataka, four MPs are likely to be inducted into the government. Ally Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy could be made a Union minister, the sources said.

In Karnataka, the NDA bagged 19 seats out of 28. The BJP won 17 while the Janata Dal (Secular) bagged two.