PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said he would expand his cabinet soon even as the RJD alleged that the CM was delaying the expansion fearing that such an exercise could “spiral out of control”.
“Both cabinet expansion and seat sharing arrangement will be announced soon. Do not worry,” Nitish told reporters outside the assembly. The cabinet expansion was scheduled to be held on Thursday but it was postponed.
Nitish along with two deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar and six other ministers were sworn in on January 28.
RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari alleged that the NDA government would crumble if the cabinet was expanded. “NDA’s constituents want as many ministerial berths as possible and so there is a lack of unanimity among them, delaying the cabinet expansion in the process,” he said.
Reacting to RJD’s allegation, deputy CM Choudhary said that it was the prerogative of the Bihar chief minister to decide when the cabinet should be expanded and who should be included.
JD (U) spokesperson Abhishek Jha said, “NDA`s constituents are working in tandem and issues related to seat sharing for Lok Sabha election and cabinet expansion will be settled amicably.”
In the cabinet expansion, JD (U) is expected to give ministerial berths to most of those who were in the last cabinet.