Shah welcomes JD(U)'s move to join NDA

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday welcomed the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U)’s decision to join the NDA and said that it will unleash “a new era of development” in the state that will be crucial to approach its “mission 350” in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The JD(U) at its national executive meeting in Patna took a formal decision to join the NDA, a homecoming after four years when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had quit the coalition to object the BJP’s decision to project Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate.

“I welcome the JD(U)’s decision to join the NDA, as this will not only strengthen the NDA but will also begin a new era of development and growth in Bihar,” Shah said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reward the JD(U) by giving its Bihar ally a share in council of ministers that has space due to existing vacancies in defence, environment and urban development ministries, which arose after Manohar Parikkar became the chief minister of Goa, Anil Dave’s death and M Venkaiah Naidu’s election as the vice president of India.

Modi is also believed to be considering a reshuffle of the Cabinet as well. BJP leaders believe that the JD(U) shaking hands also fits into Modi and Shah’s backward politics, which the party had effectively implemented in Uttar Pradesh after learning lessons from its Bihar debacle when Kumar was in the Opposition camp.

DH News Service