Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on cabinet expansion: Vacancies from JDU quota in the cabinet were empty so JDU leaders were… https://t.co/bv3S3o8scg — ANI (@ANI) 1559459280000

PATNA: Three days after the JD(U) refused to join the new Narendra Modi Cabinet due to BJP ’s “symbolic representation”, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday expanded the state cabinet with induction of eight new faces - all from his own party.The BJP and the LJP, which are JD(U)’s allies in Bihar, were left out of the Cabinet, though both the parties still have their quota as per “proportional distribution” of ministerial berths among the NDA partners in the state.Responding to a media query after the cabinet expansion, Nitish said he offered a berth to the BJP, but the top leaders of the saffron party were not too keen to induct anyone for now."Everything is fine between Janata Dal-United ( JDU) ) and the BJP," he said, playing down buzz about a possible rift between the two allies."There were vacancies from the JD(U) quota in the ministry. So, JD(U) leaders were inducted. There is no issue with the BJP. Everything is fine between the two parties," Nitish was quoted as saying by news agency ANI after the oath-taking ceremony of the new ministers.Supporting Nitish’s statement, BJP’s senior leader and Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said his party was offered a cabinet berth, but the BJP leadership decided to leave it for now.“Nitish Kumar offered the BJP to fill the vacant ministerial seats. The BJP decided to fill them in the future,” Sushil Modi reaffirmed in a tweet.The development come days after Nitish-led JD(U) refused to be a part of the Modi cabinet at the Centre, reportedly due to unhappiness over the BJP’s scheme of giving only “symbolic representation” by allotting one cabinet berth to each NDA ally.Governor Lalji Tandon administered oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at a ceremony held at Durbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan in Patna.The ministers who have been inducted are Narendra Narayan Yadav, Shyam Rajak, Ashok Choudhary, Bima Bharti, Sanjay Kumar Jha, Ram Sewak Singh, Neeraj Kumar and Lakshmeshwar Rai; five are MLAs and three (Choudhary, Jha and Neeraj) are MLCs.The first four — Yadav, Rajak, Choudhary and Bharti — had been ministers in previous governments led by Nitish Kumar. Jha, Singh, Neeraj and Rai were elevated as minister for the first time.With this expansion, the number of cabinet ministers, including the chief minister, has now risen to 33. In Bihar, a total of 36 cabinet ministers including the CM, can be inducted. Thus, the state cabinet still has three vacancies.