Patna: Amid speculation over the Union Cabinet expansion, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his private visit to New Delhi. Sources in the government confirmed that Nitish will fly to Delhi on Tuesday after 2 pm. “Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Ji will go to Delhi on Tuesday after the cabinet meeting. He is going to the national capital on a private visit," a highly placed source told ETV Bharat on the condition of anonymity.
However, senior JDU leader and MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh rejected the claim that the CM's Delhi visit is related to Union Cabinet expansion. “Rumours do not define the political line in politics. CM is going to Delhi on a private visit. As far as I know that he is going for the treatment of his eyes. His visit should not be connected with the Union Cabinet expansion," Lallan Singh said.
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Asked about his name being the front runner in the expansion, Singh further said, “Expansion of Cabinet is the discretionary power of Prime Minister. There cannot be any interruption in the expansion and whenever PM will feel, he will expand his cabinet. Who will get the place in the Union Cabinet is again the discretionary power of the PM. One should not trust any rumours related to this.” Even JDU national president RCP Singh on Monday stressed that JDU will be part of the Union Cabinet whenever expansion takes place.
"JDU will be the part of the cabinet expansion whenever it takes place," RCP stressed. A few days back, RCP had stated that the allies should get due respect in the Union Cabinet expansion. The visit of Nitish to the national cabinet has added more buzz to the speculation. Sources in the party said that Nitish is also likely to meet BJP President J P Nadda especially after the LJP episode in Bihar. JDU has played a crucial role in the split of the LJP as their leaders were seen meeting LJP MPs in Delhi during the coup. The new faction of LJP led by Pashupati Kumar Paras has also been promised of getting one cabinet berth.
After the formation of the Narendra Modi government in 2019, BJP has offered one cabinet berth to JDU but Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had rejected the offer terming it a symbolic representation. Nitish had stressed upon proportional representation of his party. Two years down the line, a similar situation has arisen in front of JDU and BJP. JDU on other hand has started the pressure politics by issuing the statement from RCP to get due respect.
Sources in the JDU said that the party is demanding three cabinet berths and two berths of the state minister.
Possible candidates from Bihar who can make into the expansion of the Union Cabinet.
1- Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh: He comes from the upper caste in Bihar and is very close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Lalan has perfectly executed several plans of Nitish. Be it breaking the LJP or Congress in Bihar, Lalan has played a pivotal role. He may get a reward of getting a cabinet berth for his plan execution.
2- RCP Singh: Member of the upper house and a close confidante of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The former bureaucrat turned politician has so far lived up to the expectation of Nitish. Apart from managing the party, RCP also plays a crucial role in the bureaucratic set-up in the state. Nitish considers him a good asset for the party and most importantly he belongs to the Kurmi caste which Nitish belongs to.
3- Ramnath Thakur: Rajya Sabha member and son of late Karpoori Thakur – The EBC icon of Bihar. The extremely backward class (EBC) constitute around 30 per cent of the Bihar total vote share. Most of the political parties in Bihar eye on this lion share which has the power to form the government or break the government. Sending Ramnath Thakur to the Union Cabinet would be a big message for EBC and based on it both BJP and JDU can seek votes of this community in any election.
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4- Santosh Kumar: MP from Purnia parliamentary seat comes from Kushwaha caste, the second-largest block of OBC after Yadav's. Making him Cabinet Minister, Nitish can woo the voters of the Kushwaha community as well establish himself in the Seemanchal region. From the first day itself, his name makes sound and one of the front-runners in the Union Cabinet expansion.
5- Pashupati Kumar Paras: Younger brother of late Dalit icon and former Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Pashupati Kumar Paras is considered as the front runner in the Cabinet expansion. Ram Vilas had died when he was serving as a Union Minister in the Modi government and after his death, no representation has been given to the LJP in the Union Cabinet. As a speaker of Lok Sabha Om Birla has already recognised Paras faction as the real LJP on the floor of the house, he will be the most suitable candidate to replace Ram Vilas having four other MPs in his support. At present BJP does not have any prominent Dalit face in Bihar and the Paswan community has 6 per cent of the total vote share. Looking at all the facts, Paras will make it into the Union Cabinet.
