Express News Service
PATNA: More than 24 hours have passed since JD-U national president RCP Singh was inducted into the Central Cabinet, but the usual congratulatory message from party leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has not come.
Kumar, who is active on Twitter, did not make any congratulatory comment. It has caught Patna’s political circle by surprise. “Boss (Nitish Kumar) is silent and that is beyond our comprehension. If something goes against his will, he turns silent and avoids discussions,” a senior JD-U leader said.
Sources felt JD-U getting just one berth and others including his close confidante Rajiv Ranjan Singh missing out might have irked Kumar and that is why he is silent. In fact, RCP Singh had been authorised by the party to take a call on joining the Union Cabinet.
However, JD-U getting just one minister despite having 16 MPs is causing unease. “What is the difference between LJP led by Pashupati Kumar Paras and our party led by Nitish Kumar? We should have got at least two Cabinet and one State Minister berths,” said a leader.
“After becoming a Cabinet minister, RCP Singh has received a host of messages but not a single tweet from Nitish Kumar. It shows that he is not happy with the decision of accepting only one cabinet berth,” another JD-U leader said.
Kumar expressed grief at the demise of former Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh. But even as JD-U state president Umesh Kushwaha and other party leaders congratulated RCP Singh, the CM was quiet on this. “Question is bound to arise whether Kumar is not happy with RCP Singh becoming a minister? He is active on Twitter and other social media platforms than he was in the past. But what does this silence show?” was the common thought of JD-U leaders.
