PATNA: Cabinet extension exercise of the newly formed Grand Alliance (GA) or Mahagathbandhan government of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to be undertaken on August 16, a week before seeking floor test in Assembly on August 24.
Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav called on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar soon after he returned to Patna from New Delhi on late Saturday. Sources said the two leaders discussed the portfolios that were to be allotted to the legislators of the seven constituents of GA.
Adding a twist to the cabinet expansion exercise, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM has demanded that a deputy chief minister should be made from the Muslim community. The lone AIMIM legislator Akhtarul Iman said that the ruling alliance has a maximum vote share of the minority community (Muslim). “When ministers are appointed on the basis of caste, accordingly there should be a Muslim Deputy CM,” he asserted.
Former chief minister and RJD national president Lalu Prasad Yadav are likely to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the new ministers. Prasad, who had played a significant role in forging the alliance with JD(U) and other non-BJP parties, will reach Patna on Monday.
Nitish Kumar-Tejashwi Yadav government has set formula for allotting one ministerial berth to a party per every 4 MLAs. As per the formula, the RJD will be the party with the most cabinet berths with 18 ministers expected to be inducted from the party into the new cabinet.
Nitish Kumar's JD(U) is expected to have 12 ministers in the new cabinet. Congress is expected to get four berths. The CPI-ML has decided not to get any ministerial berth in the cabinet and announced to extend its support to the government from outside.
However, Congress in charge of Bihar Bhakt Charan Das on Sunday said that the party will get three ministerial berths, with two taking oath on August 16 and one more to be inducted in the next cabinet expansion. CPI, CPM and HAM are likely to get one berth each. HAM led by former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is pressuring for two berths in the new council of ministers. Besides, one Independent legislator is likely to be inducted into the new cabinet.
Nitish Kumar had claimed that the ruling alliance has the support of 164 MLAs and an Independent legislator. The strength of the Bihar legislative assembly is 243. Sources said that the new Speaker of the Assembly will be from RJD. The names of Awadh Bihari Choudhary and Alok Kumar Mehta are doing the rounds for the Speaker's post. The RJD is also eying the home department, which Nitish has kept with him since he became the Chief Minister.
The Mahagathbandhan government will go for a floor test on August 24. A special session of the legislative assembly has been convened for two days. A new Speaker has to be elected by the legislators of the ruling alliance. The Mahagathbandhan legislators have also moved a 'no trust' motion against the incumbent government.
Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha is from the BJP quota. Sinha on Sunday said that he would continue to discharge his constitutional duty and would unfurl the tri-colour at Bihar Vidhan Sabha on August 15.