Bihar CM Nitish Kumar blames BJP for delay in cabinet expansion, says alliance partner hasn't sent list yet

08-02-2021

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has once again blamed the BJP for the delay in the cabinet expansion maintaining that he has still not received the list of legislators who will become ministers from the BJP quota. The JDU chief who was speaking on the sidelines of an event in Patna on Monday said cabinet expansion would take place as soon as he received the BJP list. "Cabinet expansion will take place as soon as BJP provides the list", said Nitish Kumar. It may be mentioned that it is not for the first time that Nitish Kumar has accused the BJP of delaying the cabinet expansion by not providing the list of legislators who will become ministers from the saffron party quota. Importantly, Bihar leaders have met BJP national president JP Nadda last week in the national capital to finalise names of legislators who will become ministers in the Bihar Government, however, the matter has still not been resolved. According to sources, BJP is keen on making Jhanjharpur legislator Nitish Mishra and MLC Samrat Chaudhary ministers in the Nitish Kumar cabinet but Nitish Kumar has raised objections on Samrat Chaudhary's name as he was earlier with Janata Dal-United but quit the party along with Nitish Mishra to join Jitan Ram Manjhi in 2014. Presently, there are 22 ministerial berths vacant in the cabinet. Both, BJP and Janata Dal-United are claiming that cabinet expansion will take place before the commencement of the budget session on February 19. At the moment, there are 14 ministers in the Bihar government along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Seven ministers are from the BJP quota, five from Janata Dal-United and one each from Hindustani Awam Morcha and Vikassheel Insaan party.