Nitish Kumar Likely to Expand New Bihar Cabinet on Aug 16; Ministerial Berths

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to expand his cabinet on August 16, said AICC Bihar in-charge Bhakta Charan Das said on Saturday, adding that the number of ministerial berths the Congress would get in ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government has been decided after talks with alliance partners.

He, however, refused to divulge the number of ministerial berths the Congress would be getting and said it would be “respectable” and according to the party’s strength in the House, news agency PTI reported. The oath-taking is likely to take place on August 16. The RJD leader served as deputy chief minister of Bihar from 2015 to 2017.

“The numbers would be as per our strength in the House. We have not yet finalized the names. We are a big party and many have joined us. Keeping in mind everything, it (the number) will be respectable,” he said.

Das held discussions with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Friday for the first time after the formation of the new government in Bihar. He also informed Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav met Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Friday and had a discussion with her on the cabinet expansion.

The JD(U) is likely to have 13 ministers, the RJD may settle for 16. The Congress will be given four berths, while former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM will have one member in the cabinet, source had said earlier.

The Ebbing Phenomenon Called Nitish Kumar

Nitish Kumar took oath as chief minister of Bihar for the eighth time on Wednesday after his party Janata Dal (U) walked out of the BJP-led NDA and embraced RJD, Congress and some other parties to form the Mahagathbandhan’ government.

The Nitish Kumar government will face a floor test to prove majority in the Bihar Legislative Assembly on August 24. After the death of an RJD MLA, the strength of the Assembly reduced to 242. The magic number in the Bihar Assembly is 122. At present, this is how the parties rank: RJD (79), BJP (77), JD(U) (45), Congress (19), CPI(M-L) (12), CPI (4), Hindustani Awam Morcha (S) (4), AIMIM (1), Independent (1).

(With PTI inputs)

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