JDU: EXPECTING 4-5 CABINET BERTHS
The JDU is pitching for the Railway Ministry, twice helmed by Nitish Kumar in 1998-99 and 2001-2004 during Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government, to give a ‘glimpse of the good work’ done under its watch, to the next generation
Senior JDU leader and a Bihar minister Madan Sahni on Saturday said his party was hopeful of getting 4-5 ministerial berths in the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre.
Sahni asserted that the railways and agriculture portfolios should be given to his party in the Modi 3.0 government. Sources, however, claimed two MPs from JDU could get cabinet berths while another party MP could be made a minister of state in the government.
Rajya Sabha member Ramnath Thakur and Munger MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh aka Lalan Singh are among the front runners for the post of cabinet ministers in the new NDA government. The names of Sanjay Jha, a Rajya Sabha member and a Brahmin face of the party in Mithilanchal, is also doing the rounds.
Some other MPs, including Kaushalendra Kumar (Nalanda), Devesh Chandra Thakur (Sitamarhi) and Sunil Kumar (Valmikinagar) are also in the race. “Nitish Kumar, who is also holding the post of JDU president, will take a final call on the selection of MPs to be elevated to the posts of ministers in the Union cabinet,” a senior JDU leader, requesting anonymity, said.
WILL DECIDE ON NAMES
The party will decide the name of the MPs for cabinet ministers keeping caste combination in mind particularly when the assembly election is due next year, remarked another JDU leader.
On the other hand, the BJP top leadership is busy in finalising the list of MPs to be inducted as ministers in the cabinet. Among those in the race for the Cabinet ministers are Giriraj Singh, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Nityanand Rai, Janardan Singh Sigriwal, Gopal Ji Thakur, Vivek Thakur and Satish Chandra Dubey. While the five MPs have won the Lok Sabha election, Dubey is a member of Rajya Sabha.
PASWAN HOPEFUL TOO
Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is also eyeing important portfolios in the new government. Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi who won the Lok Sabha election from Gaya reserved constituency is also an aspirant of a cabinet berth.
The number of ministers from Bihar may go up in the new Union cabinet as the state assembly election is due next year. So, more MPs will be accommodated from Bihar, added a BJP functionary.