Bihar's NDA allies may get prominent berths in Modi's next powerful cabinet
PATNA: Bihar's NDA allies are hoping that they may get prominent berths in Modi's next powerful cabinet and it is being speculated that the Railway ministry might be allotted to one of them. The state has the credit of having three successful railway ministers, including Nitish Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan,
Chief minister Nitish Kumar replying to a media query after Thursday's landslide NDA victory, replying to a media query, said that if PM Narendra Modi feels the need of accommodating allies in his cabinet, the party will discharge it's responsibility.
In the same way, LJP's chief of party's parliamentary board and Jamui MP, Chirag Paswan, also reposed his faith in the PM and said the matter of ministry allocation will be decided by the PM.
Meanwhile, speculation is high in the circle of NDA's allies that railway ministry may come into the kitty of JDU.
"It is almost sure that both JDU and LJP will get berths in the cabinet as PM Narendra Modi follows alliance-dharma honestly. Munger MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh and JDU senior leader RCP Singh may becme part of the Modi cabinet and Chirag Paswan may get a ministry after his father Ram Vilas Paswan", said some reliable NDA sources.
The LJP has set a record of winning all the seats this time in Bihar that gives the party a high claim of a cabinet berth.
Sources hinted that the HRD ministry with independent charge may come to Chirag Paswan as he is a well educated young generation politician with a vision to improve education for mass empowerment of downtrodden people. Earlier, RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha had been heading this ministry till he switched over to Mahagathbandhan from the NDA.
In the old cabinet, nine leaders of Bihar namely Ravi Shankar Prasad, Giriraj Singh, RK Singh, Radhamohan Singh, Ram Kripal Yadav, Ashwani Choubey, Ram Vilas Paswan (all continued till next election) Upendra Kushwaha(quit and switched over in pre-poll alliance with Mahagathbandhan) and Rajiv Pratap Rudy (who left the ministry citing personal reason but continues in party and now retained his seat) were part of the Central cabinet.
Fortunately, all of them, except Upendra Kushwaha, have won their seats again under the Modi's magic and have been elected to the parliament from their respective seats.
"But bouyed over the record performance of Bihar NDA in the elections for 17th Lok Sabha with 39 seats out of 40, PM Narendra Modi may induct more MPs from Bihar in central cabinets from his own party", a senior BJP leader anticipated.