Expanded Cabinet makes room for 17 new ministers
The long-awaited expansion of the Nitish Kumar Cabinet finally took place on Tuesday ahead of the budget session with the induction of 17 new ministers.
This takes the total number of ministers in the Nitish Cabinet to 30, with six more berths remaining vacant.
Governor Phagu Chauhan administered the oath of office to the new ministers – nine from the BJP and eight from the JD-U – during a function at the Raj Bhawan.
Former union minister and national spokesman of the BJP, Shahnawaz Hussain, who was recently elected to the Legislative Council, was the first to take oath. He was followed by JD-U’s Shravan Kumar and Madan Sahni. Many leaders were seen in their regional attires at the oath ceremony and took oath in their regional languages.
Chief minister (CM) Nitish Kumar, deputy CMs Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi, Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha, Legislative Council chairman Avadhesh Narayan Singh, Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi and a host of other leaders were present during the occasion. However, leader of Opposition Tejaswhi Prasad Yadav was not present. He is said to be in Delhi.
ALL EYES WILL NOW BE ON THE NOMINATION ON 12 SEATS OF THE BIHAR LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FROM THE GOVERNOR’S QUOTA
Preference to youth
What is significant about the Cabinet expansion, which happened after a long wait of 84 days, is the preference to youth leaders, making room for several new faces, especially from the BJP. BJP has presented an all-new team, with several leaders — who have won election four to five times — becoming minister for the first time.
Leaders like Prem Kumar and Nand Kishore Yadav, who were part of all previous NDA governments, have not found place this time, while senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi has been sent to the Rajya Sabha to herald generation shift in the BJP.
From the last Cabinet, BJP has retained only two ministers
this time – Mangal Pandey and Pramod Kumar. On the other hand, JD-U has retained several old guards.
From the JD-U quota, Sumit Singh, who won from Chakai as an independent candidate and extended support to JD-U, and Jama Khan, who won on the BSP ticket from Chainpur seat but recently joined JD-U, have been accommodated. Khan is the lone Muslim face from the JD-U in the cabinet, while Sumit Singh is the youngest.
No Muslim candidate could win the election on the JD-U ticket this time. JD-U also gave opportunity to first-time MLA from Bhorey and former DG Sunil Kumar and first time MLA from Amarpur Jayant Raj.
Generational shift
Bihar BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal said the expansion was done with a view to add pace to Bihar’s development, in keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expectations and plans for the eastern region.
“Talent has been given preference and social and regional balance have been kept in mind. Generational change should happen and it is quite natural,” he added.
BJP insiders admit the gradual generational shift in the party had started soon after the Lok Sabha election with the installation of a surprise choice in Dr Sanjay Jaiswal as the Bihar party president, and now the result is showing.
Nitish Kumar had taken oath for his seventh term as CM with 14 other ministers — five from the JD-U, seven from the BJP and one each from the two allies HAM-S and VIP— on November 17. However, one of the ministers ML Choudhary had to later resign following uproar over corruption charges against him, leaving the Cabinet with just 13 ministers.
After the Cabinet expansion, all eyes will now be on the nomination on 12 seats of the Bihar Legislative Council from the governor’s quota, which has remained vacant since May 2020.
BJP has also inducted former MP Janak Ram in the Cabinet. Ram is not a member of any House and would need to be accommodated in the Council. JD-U also has minister Ashok Choudhary, who is not member of any House.