CM Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary, Vijay Sinha.
– Photo: Amar Ujala
Expansion
In Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar can expand the cabinet today. The time is said to be 5 pm, but in view of Kharmas starting at 2:37 pm, this time can be done earlier also. The time has not been completely confirmed yet. After the announcement of Bharat Ratna being given to Karpoori Thakur, the political developments in Bihar changed rapidly and on January 28, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took oath as the Chief Minister of the National Democratic Alliance, about six hours after resigning as the CM of the Grand Alliance government. Had taken. Along with him, two Deputy Chief Ministers of Bharatiya Janata Party, Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, took oath. Apart from this, one minister from BJP quota, three from Janata Dal United and one minister from Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular took oath. The only independent was also sworn in on the same day. Since then, the discussion of cabinet expansion had come up several times.
There may be 36 members in the cabinet, some posts will be kept vacant
Before the cabinet expansion in Bihar, seat distribution of Lok Sabha elections was also an issue in deciding the names of leaders for Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council. Now after the format of seat sharing within the NDA was finalized on Wednesday, it is being said that the cabinet expansion will take place on Thursday evening. Formal information has not been issued because generally BJP leaders as well as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar avoid new work in Kharmas. This time anyway, nomination for Lok Sabha elections is expected in Kharmas, on the basis of which debate is going on whether to accept it or not. Bihar cabinet can have 36 members. Of these, nine including the CM are already there, hence there is a vacancy of 27. Even if the cabinet expansion takes place today, there is no possibility of all 27 ministers being sworn in.
Up to 12 from BJP and up to eight from JDU can join
It is being told that in the meeting of the constituent parties with the Chief Minister on Wednesday evening, there was talk of including a maximum of 12 BJP MLAs and a maximum of eight JDU MLAs-Councillors in the cabinet. Preparations are going on in the parties on this basis. JDU’s name has been decided by Chief Minister and party’s national president Nitish Kumar, but BJP’s list is to be finalized from Delhi headquarters. If there is an agreement regarding time with that list, then the cabinet expansion will take place today itself. If there is not much tussle in BJP regarding Kharmas, then in case of delay in making the list, the expansion program can be held on Friday also. It is believed that BJP will give importance to backward castes and Dalits in this cabinet expansion. Since the names have been finalized from Delhi, no one from Bihar is in a position to say anything about this.