NEW DELHI/PATNA: The BJP’s central leadership is likely to introduce a new face for the post of Bihar CM, with an eye on Nitish Kumar’s vote bank, which largely comprises EBCs and women who hold significant influence in the state’s politics.
Bihar is likely to get a new CM in the first week of April when legislature party meeting of the ruling NDA will be held in the after CM and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar’s election to the Rajya Sabha.
JD(U) sources said Nitish would resign from CM’s post on April 5 or 6 when NDA would convene its legislature party meeting in Patna to elect a new leader. “The new leader will be from BJP and his name will be decided with Nitish’s consent,” a JD(U) leader said on Saturday.
The BJP’s think tank is considering shortlisting a few names for discussion with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central leadership.
“The CM face will be decided on the basis of a person’s merits like corruption-free and non-controversial political career, education, experiences and impartiality. Bihar needs a person who can take the state to a new height of development through good governance. Caste will be one of the key factors, not a sole factor,” said a BJP leader.
Names being discussed for CM post include Union minister Nityanand Rai, Deputy CMs Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay K Sinha, Sanjiv Chaurasia, Janak Ram, Rama Nishad, and Dr Sanjay Jaiswal.
A buzz has started gaining momentum that the BJP may announce the name of a Dalit woman for top job.
NDA sources claimed that Nitish’s son Nishant Kumar is likely to hold the post of deputy CM in the next government.
According to sources, there will be 17+15+2+1+1 formula in new cabinet. It means there will be 17 ministers from BJP quota in addition to the post of CM. Similarly, 15 ministers from JD(U) are likely to be inducted into the new cabinet, sources added.
Two ministers from Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (RV), and one each from the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) are also likely to be inducted into the cabinet. BJP is also expected to retain the post of the assembly Speaker.
Deepak Prakash, son of former union minister and RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha and HAM patron Jitan Ram Manjhi’s son Santosh Kumar will continue to serve as ministers in the new government.
There can be maximum of 36 ministers in the new government as per the strength of the assembly.