Bihar Congress chief reiterates party ‘cannot be ignored’, will get its due share in State Cabinet

Congress upset over delay in Bihar Cabinet expansion; party demands two more berths. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has responded positively, but two months on, hope is dwindling. Now only Congress' Murari Prasad Gautam and Afaque Alam are Cabinet Ministers.

The delay in the anticipated expansion of the Bihar Cabinet has upset State Congress leaders. The party’s State president, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, issued a statement on August 5,that the Congress will get due representation.

The Congress has been demanding two more berths in Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Cabinet. The Bihar CM has responded each time that it would happen soon.

During Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Patna on June 23, when the first meeting of Opposition parties was held, Mr. Singh raised this issue, Mr. Kumar replied positively, and Bihar Congress leaders found new reason to hope. Two months on, that hope is dwindling.

“All the talk has taken place and Cabinet expansion will happen soon. Let me say that the Congress party cannot be ignored by anyone. Congress party will get its due representation and share in the Cabinet as well as Boards and Commissions also,” Mr. Singh said, when asked about the continuing delay in expansion.   

At present, there are 29 Cabinet Ministers in the Nitish Kumar government. Of them, 14 are Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Ministers, 12 Ministers are from Mr. Kumar’s Janata Dal-United (JD-U), and two are from the Congress party. The State Cabinet can have up to 36 Ministers.

The Left parties have no Minister in the Bihar Cabinet as they are supporting the State government from the outside.

When Mr. Kumar formed the government with the RJD and the Congress, the RJD had 16 Ministers, but two of them — Sudhakar Singh and Kartikeya Singh — resigned.