New Delhi: New cabinet ranks will be distributed to the new Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) is expected to get a lion’s share of berths.
Speculations are that Nitish Kumar will retain his home ministerial seat, while his new deputy Tejashwi Yadav is expected to get portfolios like health, finance, and road construction that were previously held by BJP leaders.
The Janata Dal (United) is likely to hold fast to as many of its ministers as possible from the previous cabinet, which was disbanded on August 9 via a notification issued by the chief secretary.
Kumar is expected to keep home ministry to himself this time too because it will help him have control over the state police. He is also likely to keep the departments related to the welfare of backward castes and minorities, which form his core constituency.
Meanwhile, an in-principle agreement was reached, according to reports, about the composition of the new cabinet of “35 members or more”, drawn from Kumar’s JD(U), the RJD, and the Congress. Speculations are that among 35, about 16 to 20 are likely from the RJD, and JD(U) will retain around 11 to 13.
“The Congress will be given four berths, while former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM will have one member in the cabinet,” a highly-place source was quoted as saying by news agency PTI
BJP wants to destroy all regional parties: Tejashwi
Patna: RJD leader and Bihar’s Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav accused the BJP of wanting to destroy all regional parties.
“BJP national President J P Nadda said that his party will destroy regional parties in Bihar. Bihar is the birthplace of democracy and the BJP President said that his party will destroy democracy. The people of Bihar cannot tolerate this. Today’s development is an appropriate response to it,” he said during a joint press meet with Nitish Kumar.
“He (Nitish) has done exemplary works in the interest of Bihar and Bihar people. No one would forget those works done by him. We have disputes like every family has. Now, forget those things. Uncle (Nitish Kumar) and the nephew (Tejashwi Yadav) joined hands together and we are committed to working in the interest of the common people of Bihar,” he said.
