NITISH MAY MEET PM, NADDA TODAY AMID CABINET RESHUFFLE BUZZ
PATNA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda and others in New Delhi on Monday, said party functionaries familiar with the matter.
The visit is significant, as it is taking place amidst rising speculations about the expansion of Union cabinet and Janata Dal (United) or JD(U)’S long-awaited representation in it, though other important issues, especially Bihar’s continued battle with Covid-19 pandemic and floods, are also likely to figure in the talks.
Last time, Kumar had met the PM was in February this year, when he had backed the farm laws, describing them in the interest of farmers in the face of protests by farmers’ bodies. This will be the second meeting of Kumar with the PM since assuming power last year, as he remained mostly confined to the state due to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
JD-U president RCP Sinha has already said that the party should get respectable representation in the union cabinet and that the party should be consulted in this regard. “JD-U is part of the NDA and the allies should get respect in a coalition,” he had said just a few days ago.
JD-U has 16 Lok Sabha members. In 2019, JD-U had at the last moment decided not to have symbolic participation in the Union cabinet with just one minister. BJP had then offered just one berth to the JD-U, while the latter wanted more. The virtual split in the LJP, say sources, may also figure in the discussion.