Published 13:14 IST, October 31st 2019
Nitish rubbishes speculations of JD(U) participation in Modi Cabinet
Bihar Chief Minister & JD(U) chief, Nitish Kumar on Thursday dismissed that he was setting any terms & conditions for his party about joining PM Modi's cabinet
Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president, Nitish Kumar on Thursday dismissed that he was setting any terms and conditions for his party about joining Narendra Modi's Cabinet. When asked on JD(U)'s demand of proportional representation in the Union Cabinet, he replied that "there are no such things, it's rubbish (aisi koi baat nahi hai, ye sab faaltu baat hai)".
JD(U) for 'proportional representation in Cabinet'
This denial from Nitish Kumar has come a day after JDU spokesperson KC Tyagi had said in Delhi, that "We will consider joining the cabinet without any hesitation if we get an invite from NDA leaders, especially from PM Narendra Modi and Amit Shah and simultaneously given proportional representation as per the numbers. That will make the NDA more progressive, cohesive and broad-based. In the interest of the alliance dharma, we have given proportional representation to the BJP in Bihar cabinet led by Nitish Kumar."
BJP on KC Tyagi's 'proportional representation' comment
When asked about KC Tyagi's statement, BJP leader and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said "I have no comments to make on this issue." JDU has 16 Lok Sabha members and six members in the Rajya Sabha. When Modi cabinet was being formed after 2019 Lok Sabha results in May, JDU had declined the single cabinet berth offered by BJP.
JD(U) turns down BJP's offer of one Cabinet berth after Lok Sabha polls
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar had said that "We are not going to accept symbolic representation and it should be proportional representation. The party which has one MP gets one cabinet berth and the party which has 16 Lok sabha MPs gets one berth. Now his party will never participate in the Union Cabinet".
After the recent poll outcome in Maharashtra, where the BJP is dependent on Shiv Sena to form the government, it may strike a deal with Shiv Sena for more representation in Union Cabinet. Shiv Sena has one cabinet minister in Union Cabinet, despite having 18 Lok Sabha MPs. As a part of the deal, it is most likely that both Shiv Sena and JD(U) may get proportional representation in Modi's cabinet. JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar may also budge especially after BJP president Amit Shah had recently declared him the face of NDA in 2020, Bihar Vidhan Sabha elections.
Updated 13:59 IST, October 31st 2019