PATNA: Former deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi was appointed as the Chairman of Bihar Legislative Council’s Ethics Committee on Thursday. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar himself nominated Modi for the post. Soon after assuming charge, Modi met Legislative Council chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh.
The NDA had replaced Modi this year with two deputies for Nitish — Renu Devi and Tarkishore Prasad. With the senior BJP leader’s latest appointment, the speculation of him being promoted to the Centre has been put to rest. Modi served as the deputy chief minister under Nitish for 11 years. In fact, Nitish had conceded that he would miss his former deputy in his new Cabinet.
“It is the BJP’s decision to not give the deputy chief minister’s post to Modi. They should be asked about this,” Nitish had said after the oath-taking ceremony. Earlier in the day, Legislative Council executive chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh issued an order regarding the nomination of Modi to the ethics panel. In his new role, Modi will be able to closely work with Nitish who recentlly became the chief minister for the fourth consecutive time.
Meanwhile, former chief minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha president Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday was administered oath of secrecy of pro-tem Speaker for conducting the five-day session of the newly formed NDA government.
Governor Phagu Chauhan administered the oath to Manjhi in the Raj Bhawan. The five-day session will commence from November 23 to 27 in which the Assembly Speaker will also be elected. As pro-tem speaker, Manjhi will administer the oath to the newly elected 243 MLAs in the House.