PATNA, April 5 -- Amid the indications of a new state government coming into place in Bihar in the coming weeks with CM Nitish Kumar likely to step down from the top post after taking oath as Rajya Sabha member on April 10, there are speculations that the two senior allies in the NDA are still not in agreement over the post of Speaker and a few ministerial portfolios. Sources in the NDA said talks were going on between major allies in the ruling coalition as who should keep the post of Speaker once the new dispensation comes into shape with a new chief minister , once CM Kumar demits office. "The JD(U) is pitching hard for the Speaker's post as the chief minister's post in the new dispensation would go to the BJP. The BJP is not so keen on giving up the post. So, there are still negotiations going on in this aspect with possibilities that a solution would be worked out amicably among two major partners in the coalition," said a senior JD(U) leader. Sources in the NDA said there were also tricky issues to be sorted out like the number of ministers to be inducted from major allies, the post of Chairman of state legislative Council and also the deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha , which would fall vacant in coming weeks as the present incumbent Harivansh Narayan Singh's term in the upper house of Parliament is set to end on April 9. Haravnash belongs to the JD(U). Insiders in the NDA said that talks were going on at different levels to sort out these issues within the coalition partners, mainly JD(U) and BJP. One NDA leader said as both the Speaker of state assembly Prem Kumar and Chairman of the state legislative Council Awadhesh Narain Singh hailed from the BJP, there were demands from the JD(U) that one of the top posts should go to the second senior partner in the NDA. Insiders said the JD(U) was also keen on getting the post of deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha as a senior ally of the NDA government at the Centre. "The Telegu Desham Party (TDP), a major ally in the NDA government at the centre, has already got fulfilled its demand for Amravati as the permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh with the passage of the new legislation by Parliament. So, the JD(U) has reasons for demanding the post of deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha," said another JD(U) leader, seeking anonymity. The Lok Sabha on April 1 had passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, recognising Amravati as the sole and permanent capital of Andhra Pradesh. The Rajya Sabha passed the legislation on April 2. Moreover, there are possibilities of swapping of certain portfolios including finance, road construction, urban development and rural development between the BJP and JD(U) though there are indications the BJP would retain the home portfolio, which is now being handled by deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary. Incidentally, some insiders in the NDA maintained that incase there is any lack of unanimity over the Speaker's post between the two major allies, BJP and JD(U), a third option of giving the post to one of the smaller allies could be worked out as a compromise. In the NDA in Bihar, Lok Janshakti Party ( Ram Vilas) led by Union minister Chirag Paswan, Hindustani Awam Morcha( Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) are the three smaller allies apart from the BJP and JD(U). " There are options being discussed," said another NDA leader. Meanwhile, top BJP and JD(U) functionaries and leaders of smaller allies expressed there are no hitches as such over the formation of the new cabinet and choice of incumbent to the Speaker's post. Water resources minister and senior JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said that there were no differences or any hitch in deciding key posts like Speaker in the Bihar assembly or ministerial berths to be allotted to partners in the alliance. "Everything is sorted out. There is no hitch or any difference on any issue among allies," he said. Chaudhary said that the chief minister would take oath of Rajya Sabha on April 10 and thereafter the process for formation of a new government would take place. Neeraj Kumar , MLC and spokesperson of the JD(U) and Prem Ranjan Patel, spokesperson of the BJP too aired similar views stating that 'everything would be sorted out by the central leadership in consultation with chief minister Kumar in coming days'. Sources said CM Kumar was likely to have a meeting with PM Modi soon after taking oath of Rajya Sabha in New Delhi to discuss issues about JD(U)'s share in the new government and other matters. There are indications that CM Kumar might tender his resignation from the top post on April 12 and the new government may come into shape by April 16, sources said. "There is , of course, no timeline as such. CM Nitish Kumar is still in office and he will be taking oath on April 10 of Rajya Sabha. Once that is over, things would take its own course," said another senior JD(U) minister....