JD(U) eyeing Railway Ministry, holds meeting of newly elected MPs in Delhi

New Delhi, June 7

Ahead of the NDA parliamentary meeting on Friday, JD(U) also held an internal party meeting of its leaders and newly elected MPs at Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s Delhi residence.

JD(U) has stuck to its demand of the Railway Ministry and special status for Bihar.

According to sources, Sheohar MP Lovely Anand has demanded the Railway Ministry. Her husband and Bihar strongman Anand Mohan had also met Kumar and put forward the demand seeking the Railway Ministry.

Mohan said, “The demand for the Railway Ministry is confirmed. It has been in Bihar’s share. Even Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was a Railway Minister and the good work he has done needs to be taken ahead. The backward Bihar needs the ministry. CM Kumar took Bihar out of ‘jungle raj’ and made a developing state in the last 16 years. If we want to give it wings, then the ‘special’ status for Bihar should also be fulfilled. I had met Nitish Kumar but it was a cordial meeting.”

With 12 MPs, the JD(U) is the second biggest BJP ally after the Telugu Desam Party’s 16 in the NDA.

Newly elected MP from Bhagalpur Ajay Kumar Mandal said, “I never think of becoming anything in the party. I am a soldier of the party. It is the leader who will make decisions. I will accept whatever they decide and will do as they say. I cannot say who will be the ministers. I haven’t put any demand.”

Munger MP Lallan Singh, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Jha and Sitamarhi MP Devesh Chandra Thakur are also in the running to get Cabinet berths.

Thakur has won the Lok Sabha elections for the first time defeating RJD’s Arjun Rai.

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha said Kumar has always been in a leading role in Bihar and will remain a part of the NDA.