JOIN USWorried Nitish distributes additional portfolios
As allies are shying away from joining the fledgling Janata Dal-United government in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday distributed eight additional portfolios among the incumbent ministers.
These eight departments were not allocated to the 22 ministers who were sworn-in on Sunday in the hope that the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and the Communist Party of India would join the government sooner or later.
But with key allies showing no interest in joining the government, which has barely six months to rule, Nitish gave Vijyendra Yadav additional charge of the energy department with an instruction to provide electricity to all villages in the next four months.
Similarly, Forest and Environment Minister P K Sahi was given additional charge of education, while Transport Minister Ramai Ram was given the additional responsibility of the SC/ST ministry.
Ram, a senior Dalit leader, has not taken charge as he is reportedly miffed by Nitish denying him the post of the deputy chief minister, despite being given assurances. “I will make my stand clear after the trust vote,” said Ram.
Apart from the internal bickering, Nitish is apparently more worried about the RJD and Congress not willing to join the government.
“Lalu and Rabri’s absence from Nitish’s swearing-in function can’t be dismissed as a normal affair. If Akhilesh Yadav can come all the way to attend the oath function, why can’t someone from Lalu’s family do so?” wondered senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi.
“The RJD workers are now saying ‘Vote hamara, raj tumhara’ (We have the votes, and you are running the government),” said Modi, quoting RJD leaders.
It is learnt that Nitish was keen on allies joining his government to give it more stability and to also send a message that all secular forces were united in opposing the BJP in Bihar.
But, sources said, after the kind of treatment Manjhi got, even the RJD and Congress are wary of joining Nitish’s regime.
“The RJD and the Congress were two major beneficiaries of Mahadalit votes. But now that Mahadalits are angry with Nitish, the Congress and the RJD are not keen to be seen with Nitish on the same page,” a ministerial hopeful from among the allies said.
The BJP, too, wondered why Nitish, who had assured the governor to prove his majority within 24 hours when he met him for the first time on February 10, was taking so long to seek confidence motion. Nitish has decided to seek trust vote on March 11.
Meanwhile, the chief minister on Tuesday held a high-level meeting with senior officials where he warned district magistrates and superintendents of police that they would be held accountable if there was any law and order problem in their respective districts.