Patna: The silence of chief minister Nitish Kumar over the new cabinet expansion tells a lot of stories. Nitish has not come out with any statement on the induction of 36 new faces in the council of ministers led by Narendra Modi.
It's almost 24 hours when JDU president RCP Singh has taken oath as a cabinet minister but Nitish has not even sent any congratulatory message to him nor congratulated PM for the major reshuffle in the cabinet.
On Wednesday, the JDU workers celebrated the occasion of getting one berth in the cabinet by distributing sweets and playing musical bands. However, the big question still remains unanswered that Nitish is silent and did not congratulate his most trusted aide after he became minister of steel in the union cabinet.
Political pundits opined that many other JDU leaders who were in the race to get inducted in the cabinet are angry with Nitish and keeping their anger in mind, CM chose to remain silent. If Nitish congratulates RCP it will be a mockery to other leaders like Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh who could not make it into the cabinet.
Another major reason for Nitish not giving any statement publically is the feeling of embarrassment because JDU has just got one berth. The same old offer which was earlier rejected by Nitish himself in 2019 when NDA had formed the government at the centre.
Getting one berth in the cabinet is nothing but a symbolic representation for the JDU and Nitish would never want to take the credit for such misfortune. Several other political experts stressed Nitish has surrendered himself before BJP and it was evident from the fact when Nitish had said whatever PM will offer would be accepted.
Also read: Cabinet expansion: 'Helpless' Nitish accepts old offer; Ravi Shankar Prasad dropped
Political experts asserted that this particular statement of accepting any offer has proved that Nitish is not the same Nitish who had once pulled the dinner plate of BJP leaders ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha election due to his antipathy for Narendra Modi.
In politics, time is the biggest weapon and in a changed scenario, Nitish is occupying the top post in the state at the mercy of BJP leaders. At present Nitish has become so weak that he cannot dictate his terms and conditions to the BJP.
All these opinions and narratives have forced Nitish to keep mum on the cabinet expansion fearing his congratulatory message to RCP may invite wrath from disgruntled JDU leaders. These JDU leaders are already facing an uncomfortable situation in front of their well-wishers and supporters after being denied the cabinet berth.
Opposition leaders have already started raising questions on the silence of Nitish and also accused him of being a casteist leader.
“JDU president RPC Singh ji has become union minister but so far Nitish ji has not issued any statement nor posted any tweet. I can understand Nitish ji's dilemma that neither he can express happiness nor he can show his sorrow because other MPs are upset. Nitish ji is a casteist leader because he ensured RCP's induction into the cabinet as both hail from the same caste. No leader from the EBC community in Bihar has been inducted. The people of Bihar want to know under which circumstances Nitish had bowed down before BJP,” RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwari alleged.
Patna based political expert Dr Sanjay Kumar stressed that Nitish has played a safe game by keeping mum on the issue as he has already foreseen the repercussions if he speaks anything at present on the cabinet expansion.
“Nitish wants to send a message to the leaders and workers of the party that in 2019 he wanted more seats in the union cabinet but BJP had refused his demands. However, in 2021 Nitish can always say that RCP was authorised to take the final decision on being part of the cabinet. So he has nothing to do with cabinet expansion and it was purely the decision of RCP. Nitish can give this justification that it was RCP who decided and I had no role in it. If people would have asked me then I could have asked to accommodate more but it was the decision of RCP, not mine,” Dr Sanjay said.
Also read: Nitish Kumar became minister in Centre because of me, claims RJD chief Lalu Yadav
He further said that Nitish has kept mum to keep his role aside in the entire episode so that he can remain a 'Mr Clean' in the controversy.
Meanwhile, when a question was asked from the JDU parliamentary board chairman that why the party accepted the old offer, Upendra Kushwaha reiterated what Dr Sanjay said that RCP was authorised to make the decision so there should not be any further discussion on the topic. He also stressed that there is no conflict within JDU over lone leader RCP's induction in the cabinet.
On the other hand, JDU state unit president Umesh Kushwaha proclaimed that RCP will remain the president of the party for the next three years. Umesh was reacting to the question of one man and two posts related to RCP.
