Nitish Kumar on Congress seeking two cabinet berths: 'Ask the Deputy CM'

Nitish Kumar, the Bihar Chief Minister, on Saturday reacted to the Congress's demand for two berths in the state cabinet and said they should ask Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav if there would be a new alliance, and that they would only negotiate and let him know how many cabinet berths the allies get.

The Bihar CM said, "Ask the Deputy Chief Minister. If there is a new alliance, they'll talk and decide which side will get how many (cabinet berths). I am waiting. Whatever gets decided will be done."

Ask the Deputy CM. If there is a new alliance, they'll talk & decide which side will get how many (cabinet berths). I am waiting. Whatever gets decided will be done: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar when asked about state cabinet expansion in wake of Congress demanding 2 berths in the state pic.twitter.com/tqtXbfjzGf

— ANI (@ANI)

Bihar Deputy CM debunks cabinet expansion talk

Earlier this month, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav ruled out any possibility of cabinet expansion. “There will be no cabinet expansion now. I do not understand at first how the discussion on it started. No proposal for the cabinet expansion is not under consideration,” he said. 

Bihar Congress President Akhilesh Prasad Singh had earlier said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had assured him of inducting two Congress leaders into the cabinet. 

RJD and JMM to fight polls together: Bihar Dy CM

Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday, February 11, said the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) will be fighting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in alliance. Yadav said, "We (RJD and JMM) will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together. I had planned to come and see the party’s work in Jharkhand. But in between Lalu Prasad ji’s health deteriorated. Lalu Ji’s transplant was successful. He will be coming home today. BJP was removed from power in Bihar and the Mahagathbandhan government was formed. Due to all these issues, Jharkhand could not be visited.”

Ranchi| We will be fighting the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together. I had planned to come & see the party work in Jharkhand however due to Lalu Ji’s health we could not. Lalu Ji’s transplant was successful. He will be coming home today: Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister pic.twitter.com/mx2JI1zAle

— ANI (@ANI)

Upendra Kushwaha raises questions

Meanwhile, Janata Dal-United (JDU) parliamentary board chief Upendra Kushwaha, amid an ongoing rift with the Bihar CM, asked him to clarify if there has been any deal made with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) to make Tejashwi Yadav the chief ministerial candidate in the 2025 assembly elections.