Nitish cabinet likely to undergo first expansion on Aug 16

PATNA: The Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance (GA) government is set to undergo its first cabinet expansion on August 16, said a leader aware of the development

PATNA: The Nitish Kumar-led Grand Alliance (GA) government is set to undergo its first cabinet expansion on August 16, said a leader aware of the development.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar interacts with the media in Patna on Friday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

According to the leader, the chief minister has decided the schedule for the swearing-in of new ministers after discussing the issue with his deputy and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav at the secretariat on Saturday.

“He may formally request governor Phagu Chauhan to administer the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers on Tuesday,” said one of the probable ministers, adding that rescheduling could be possible if case left parties took more time to settle the issue.

Tejashwi Yadav, who returned to Patna after a string of consultations with GA leaders, including Sonia Gandhi and Lalu Prasad, over the likely representation of the constituent partners in the cabinet, said that he had spoken to all (the stakeholders).

“Fresh issue had cropped up before the GA leadership after the left parties, particularly the CPI and CPI(M), which had earlier decided to extend support from outside, have started asking for their share in the cabinet,” said a senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader.

However, a Janata Dal (United) MP, said that everything has been decided on a 50:50 basis between the RJD and the JD(U). “Congress would be accommodated from the JD(U) quota, while the RJD would deal with the left parties,” he said, adding that the cabinet would consist of a total of 35 ministers, including the CM and deputy CM.

The post of assembly speaker might come from the RJD quota if Congress denies it. In that case, Congress may have four berths in the cabinet, which will include Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) chief Madan Mohan Jha, CLP leader Ajit Sharma, Rajesh Ram, and Shakeel Ahmad Khan.

The RJD is likely to get 12-15 ministers, while the JD(U) will have 10-11 berths in the cabinet.

Tej Pratap Yadav, Kumar Sarvajit, Akhtarul Islam Shaheen, Alok Kumar Mehta, Awadh Bihari Chaudhary (most likely speaker), Lalit Yadav, Anita Devi, Jitendra Rai, Anil Sahni, Chandrashekhar, Bhai Birendra, Bharat Bhushan Mandal, Shahnawaz, Veena Singh, Rajvijay Sahu, Surendra Ram, Sunil Singh, Kedar Singh, Baccha Pandey, Rahul Tiwari, Kartik Kumar, and Saurabh Kumar are among the probable leaders to get a berth in the cabinet.

Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Upendra Kushwaha, Sanjay Kumar Jha, Lesy Singh, Sunil Kumar, Jayant Raj, Jama Khan, and Ashok Chaudhary have strong possibilities to become ministers from JD(U).

JD(U) insiders said that the left parties craving to get into the ministry might complicate the equations for both the lead partners. CPI(ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, who met the CM along with party MLAs and politburo members on Saturday, however, said that the party was still firm on its stand of not joining the government.