Nitish Kumar inducts 8 JD(U) leaders in Bihar cabinet, dismisses reports of rift with BJP

According to reports, tension seems to be brewing between the alliance partners ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah offered a single berth to the JD(U) in the newly-formed NDA government. However, Kumar dismissed such speculations saying there was “no unease” between the partners.

Explaining his rationale behind the JD(U)’s decision to opt out of the Modi 2.0 government, Kumar had earlier said the BJP’s offer should have aimed at proportional representation of all NDA allies. He had also made it clear that the JD(U) will not be joining the government in the future and ruled out having any rift with the BJP.

The new ministers – Narendra Narayan Yadav, Shyam Rajak, Ashok Choudhary, Bima Bharti, Sanjay Jha, Ram Sewak Singh, Niraj Kumar and Lakshmeshwar Rai – were administered the oath of office and secrecy at a function at the Raj Bhavan here by Governor Lalji Tandon.

Eight JD(U) leaders were sworn in as ministers in State Government Sunday. (ANI)

With ministers Dinesh Chandra Yadav and Rajiv Ranjan Singh winning Madhepura and Munger Lok Sabha seats respectively, and Manju Verma resigning as minister after facing Arms Act case, three positions had fallen vacant. Two positions from JD(U) quota had been left vacant.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan asserted that all was well within the NDA and that Nitish Kumar is their leader in the state. “All is well in the NDA. Nitish Kumar is our leader. Too many conclusions must not be drawn. Kumar has also said that he was, is and will remain in the NDA. Moreover, I am there to act as a cementing force,” said Paswan in Patna.

He added that Kumar is capable of taking his own decisions and that Kumar has made it amply clear that he is fully with the NDA, PTI reported.

In the 2019 general elections, the BJP-JD(U)-LJP alliance won 39 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar with JD(U) getting 16 of the 17 seats it had contested and BJP and Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP winning all 17 and six seats, respectively. The Congress secured only one seat while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) drew a blank. Assembly elections are due in Bihar next year.