JD(U): Nitish will take call on ministries

Aksheev Thakur

New Delhi, June 7

The JD(U) parliamentary board meeting held at Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s residence on Friday entrusted the responsibility of choosing the party’s leadership in the Parliament upon him.

“It was decided in the meeting that Nitish Kumar would choose the leader of the party. It was unanimously decided that the JD(U) will wholeheartedly support the NDA. No discussion on ministries took place in the meeting,” JD(U) MP Alok Kumar Suman said.

Sources in the party said uncertainty looms over the cabinet berths being offered to the JD(U) and special status for Bihar. The party was eyeing Railways and Jal Shakti ministerial berths.

The special status will ensure that the state gets most of the Central funds in the form of grants and industrial incentives.

“Railways and Jal Shakti are important for us. Nitish has been the Railways Minister during the NDA government. There are several regions in Bihar where rail connectivity is poor and we want to elevate the rail infrastructure. Jal Shakti is important as Bihar faces perennial problems of floods and parts of the state face water shortage,” a senior JD(U) leader said.