Bihar CM Nitish Kumar says JD-U was not ignored

Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday denied reports that his party, the JD(U), was left out during the Cabinet reshuffle.

Mr Kumar said that there was “no plan to include the JD(U) in the Union Cabinet on Sunday. JD(U) was unnecessarily dragged in the Cabinet expansion issue”.

His joining the NDA camp two weeks ago had triggered strong speculations in the political circles that at least two JD(U) MPs would be inducted into the Union Cabinet. But Mr Kumar and some of his party leaders were left disappointed after nine BJP MPs, including two from Bihar, took oath as ministers.

“There was no discussion on the issue. We had not even thought about it,” the Bihar chief minister said while talking to the media on Monday on the sidelines of his Samvad programme in Patna.

According to sources, Mr Kumar and his party leaders were also hoping to receive a call from the BJP to discuss the change in the Union Cabinet.

According to reports, Mr Kumar was so peeved at his party’s non-inclusion into the Cabinet that he blamed the media for reshuffle speculations. He, without taking anyone’s name, said, “Speculations also gave a chance to the darling of the media to speak on the issue.”

Observers say that his “darling of media” dig was directed at RJD chief Lalu Yadav who had mocked Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for not being invited by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for the oath-taking ceremony.

Mr Yadav had said, “The BJP did not include the JD(U) into the Cabinet because they don’t believe Mr Kumar anymore.

They (the JD(U)) didn’t even get invitations. Those who leave their own people get rejected by others.”  

Mr Kumar also rejected the allegations levelled against him that he is trying to engineer a split in the Congress to create his own majority. He said that the RJD chief is trying to demoralise the congress by his baseless statements only to keep the party in his grip.

“Our only agenda is to work for the development and growth of Bihar. I have no time to indulge in such kind of conspiracy. He (Lalu Yadav) has been making such allegations to keep the Congress party in his grip”, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said.