No problem regarding cabinet expansion, parties select their nominees: Nitish Kumar
Feb 10, 2021
New Delhi [India], February 10 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday that there was no problem regarding cabinet expansion carried out on Tuesday and ministers were inducted based on recommendations of parties in the ruling alliance.
Kumar, who is in the national capital, also said there has been no discussion on the induction of JD-U nominees in the union cabinet.
Referring to the expansion of his council of ministers, he said names were given by the parties concerned.
"In each party, members decide candidates in their alliance. Someone else cannot take a call on the matter. As per the individual decisions of parties, oaths were taken yesterday. If someone does not like it, it is their personal choice," Kumar told ANI.
"As far as the issue of expansion of cabinet is concerned that took place yesterday and there is no problem," he added.
BJP MLA Gyanendra Singh Gyanu had on Tuesday expressed his disappointment over cabinet expansion and said "caste balance" had not been maintained.
The chief minister said he had last come to the national capital before the COVID-19 lockdown in March last year.
"I had visited Delhi before the COVID-19 lockdown was implemented. Travelling has become feasible again. I anyway had to come here after Assembly elections to meet the Prime Minister," he said.
"There has been no discussion on JD-U's share in the union council of ministers. We have no problem with each other," he added.
On Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which fielded candidates against Janata Dal (United) in the Bihar Assembly polls last year, Kumar said everyone knows what the party had said during elections.
"What will be their role in NDA or not, it is for BJP to comment. We do not take any special notice of it," he said.
Asked about Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav's critical comments after cabinet expansion concerning the development of Bihar, he said the RJD leader will be able to say something if he has some information about the state.
"He does not have basic information. There is no need to respond to questions of such people," he said.
