JD(U) demands 16 ministerial berths ahead of cabinet expansion in Bihar

The JD(U) is expecting 16 cabinet berths in the new Samrat Choudhary Bihar government, state unit president Umesh Kushwaha said on Wednesday.

The BJP-led government which was formed last month is set for a major expansion a day later.

JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar resigned as chief minister, following his election to Rajya Sabha, and was succeeded by Choudhary, the first saffron party leader to head a government in Bihar.

The cabinet at present only includes two veteran JD(U) leaders, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary and Bijendra Prasad, both of whom have been designated as deputy CMs.

The council of ministers is set to undergo an expansion on Thursday at a grand function, which is likely to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president Nitin Nabin, among others.

Kushwaha was asked by journalists about the JD(U)’s expectations about its share in the expanded cabinet.

He replied, "We have made it clear that we want 16." The state cabinet can have up to 30 ministers, in keeping with the Constitution stipulating that the council of ministers must not exceed more than 15 per cent of the total strength of the assembly. The Bihar assembly has 243 members.

Besides the JD(U) and the BJP, which at present has only the chief minister in the new cabinet, the NDA in Bihar comprises LJPRV and HAM headed by Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi, respectively, besides Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM.

The junior alliance partners were duly represented in the cabinet headed by Nitish Kumar, which was sworn in November last year, and are waiting for a representation in the new council of ministers, which came into being as a result of the power transition.

Umesh Kushwaha was also asked whether the JD(U) would push for the induction of Nishant, the son and heir apparent of Nitish Kumar, who took the political plunge around the time his father announced the decision to move to the Rajya Sabha.

He replied, "The party always wanted Nishant to become a minister. He could have been a deputy CM right away. But we should appreciate his sensibilities. He has decided to shun positions of power for the time being and concentrate on strengthening the organisation." Notably, Nishant launched “Sadbhav Yatra”, his first public interaction programme, earlier this week, to drive home the point that he wanted to earn the goodwill of the people.

(With PTI inputs)