Bihar Education Minister Mewalal Choudhary resigns within 3 days over corruption charges

UPDATE: Ashok Chaudhary takes over

Governor Phagu Chouhan has appointed JD(U) Bihar chief Ashok Choudhary as education minister on CM Nitish Kumar's recommendation.  

Three days after being sworn-in as Bihar's education minister, JDU MLA Mewalal Choudhary, resigned on Thursday, after coming under severe criticism from the Opposition for the corruption cases against him. Sources state that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has asked Choudhary to step down as education minister, after the severe ire by the Opposition. Mewalal Choudhary was booked in 2017 under IPC sections 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 120B, for alleged discrepancies in the appointment of 167 assistant-cum-junior scientists at Bihar Agriculture University at Sabaur in Bhagalpur, while he was vice-chancellor of the university between 2010 and 2015.

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Mewalal Choudhary steps down

Retorting to the Opposition, Choudhary had claimed 'An accusation is proven only when a charge sheet is filed or a court gives an order', while dismissing the charges against him. Incidentally, in 2017, Nitish Kumar demanded then-deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav's resignation after he was accused of corruption. On Tejashwi's refusal, Nitish Kumar stepped down as CM and returned to his old ally - BJP and was sworn in as CM with BJP's Sushil Modi as his deputy CM.

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While Choudhary has dismissed the allegations against him, the Tarapur MLA has declared the same in his election affidavit. The RJD too slammed Choudhary for his defence, demanding Nitish Kumar to explain if a charge sheet will be filed by his government in this case. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav called Choudhary's resignation a farce, calling Nitish Kumar 'too tired to govern'. Nearly 70 percent of MLAs in Bihar’s newly elected assembly have criminal charges against their names, ranging from murder and attempt to murder to kidnapping and crime against women.

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Nitish Kumar's Cabinet

Apart from Nitish Kumar who was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the 7th time, 14 other Ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy on Monday. This includes 4-time BJP MLAs Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi who shall serve as the Deputy Chief Ministers of the state. While Kumar has retained the Home department, Prasad has been assigned the portfolios such as Finance, Commercial Taxes, IT, Disaster Management and Urban Development. On the other hand, Renu Devi will handle Panchayati Raj, Backward and Extremely Backward Class Welfare and Industry departments.

Minority Affairs portfolio has been assigned to Bihar JD(U) president Ashok Choudhary. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, BJP MLC Mangal Pandey has been retained as the Health Minister. Meanwhile, HAM(S)'s Santosh Kumar Suman will function as the Minister for Minor Irrigation and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Welfare and VIP chief Mukesh Sahani shall be in-charge of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries portfolios. NDA has won a wafer-thin majority of 125 seats compared to Mahagathbandhan's 110 seats in 2020 Bihar polls.

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