News Analysis India

Tag: Bihar cabinet expansion

  • ‘Everything Will Be Done Soon’: Nitish Kumar On Bihar Cabinet Expansion; BJP-JDU Seat-Sharing |

    New Delhi: New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that the announcement on the exapnsion of the cabinet and the seat-share deal of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal United (JDU)for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections will be done soon.

    Taking to reporters Nitish Kumar said, “Everything will be done soon… we will inform about everything.” Kumar’s statement came as he along with 10 other candidates for the Bihar Legislative Council election were declared elected unopposed to the state Legislative Council.

    #WATCH Patna: On seat sharing in NDA and Bihar cabinet expansion, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar says, “Everything will be done soon… we will inform about everything …” pic.twitter.com/FlAaREPBXg


    — ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2024

    According to constitutional provisions, Bihar can have a maximum of 36 ministers, including the Chief Minister. Currently, the state Cabinet has a total of nine ministers, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Among them, Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha are Deputy Chief Ministers. Apart from these, Dr Prem Kumar of BJP, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Shravan Kumar (all three of JDU), Santosh Kumar Suman of HAM and Independent Sumit Kumar Singh also took oath as ministers.

    On January 28, 2024, Nitish Kumar assumed office as the Chief Minister of Bihar, securing the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His appointment followed his prior resignation, which led to the dissolution of the state government. Nitish Kumar’s departure from the Mahagathbandhan government, comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), signaled the end of the coalition.

    Citing internal discord and the failure to deliver on promises as primary factors, Nitish Kumar severed ties with the coalition. The JD(U) leader specifically criticized the RJD, emphasizing, “I had no choice but to dissolve the alliance.”

    Following the formation of an alliance with the BJP, two deputy Chief Ministers, Vijay Sinha and Samrat Choudhary, were appointed to key positions.

  • JD-U blames BJP for delay in Bihar cabinet expansion as seat sharing formula still ‘unclear’

    Express News Service
    PATNA: The ruling JD-U held a grudge against BJP for continued delay over the issue of Bihar cabinet expansion.

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, not long ago, had expressed his dismay over inordinate delay in the cabinet expansion saying that it is was the first time such a long delay is being carried out in NDA history.

    JDU MLC Devesh Chandra Thakur, on Thursday, directly blamed the BJP for delay in the state  cabinet expansion. The three-time MLC said “as a result of the delay in cabinet expansion, the functioning of many government departments is getting affected.” 

    ​ALSO READ | Shahnawaz Hussain, Mukesh Sahni elected unopposed to Bihar legislative council

    He further reminded that cabinet expansion used to place just three days after a new government is formed.

    Almost two months have gone by since Nitish Kumar-led NDA government was elected in Bihar, but the cabinet has not been expanded despite heavy work pressure on 14 ministers. Thakur said that the delay in the cabinet expansion is sending a wrong message to people of Bihar.

    A speculation floated that the cabinet expansion will be held after January 26 as BJP leader Shahanwaz Hussian and VIP leader Mukesh Sahni were elected unopposed to the state council as MLCs.

    Sources close to both the JD-U and BJP said that “the Bihar unit of BJP has already sent a list of MLAs and MLCs for their inclusion in the cabinet to the central leadership of BJP in New Delhi.”

    A reliable source told The New Indian Express that the cabinet expansion is getting delayed because JD-U is not agreeing to the seat sharing formula proposed by BJP.

    Meanwhile, BJP leader Mithilesh Tiwari told the media that cabinet expansion is the chief minster’s prerogative. “The expansion of the cabinet will be held at an auspicious time and the NDA government will run smoothly to complete its full term,” Tiwari said. 

    He rebuked at the opposition for creating uproar over the cabinet expansion.

    Both JD-U and BJP are mulling over whether to include young faces in the cabinet instead of the old faces or those who were the ministers earlier.

    Bihar Deputy CM Tarkishor Prasad also claimed that the cabinet expansion will take place at the earliest. But when asked when, he refused to make any direct comments.

    ALSO READ | Bihar cabinet expansion likely soon, assures CM Nitish Kumar

    Some officials of the state government, posted at the secretariat, admitted that the functioning of the government has been affected due to delay in the cabinet expansion.

    “At present 14 ministers, against sanctioned 44 departments, are bearing heavy work load of multiple departments. The date of the budget session has also been announced. In such a situation, if cabinet is not expanded it will certainly create a major problem,” some senior officers said.

    Among 14 ministers, seven are from the BJP, five from JDU and one from each Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM) and the VIP parties.

    As per sanctioned norm, only 36 ministers, including the Chief Minister, can be in the cabinet out of a total 243 seats. After the 2020 electionss, the NDA has got only 125 seats, out of which BJP has got 74 seats, JD-U has 43, HAM and the VIP each has got four seats.

    It is said that the BJP is demanding more ministerial berths on the basis of seats won this time. 

    Last time, the total number of JD-U MLAs was 71 while BJP had 54. But this time BJP has 74 MLAs and JDU has 43, so the BJP is reportedly claiming for more ministerial berths in the cabinet but the JD-U wants ministerial posts on the basis of 50-50 formula.