Farmers Movement Archive

Nitish Kumar to visit Delhi today, may meet BJP top brass

PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar will be on a three-day visit to New Delhi from Tuesday. This time, his visit is in more limelight amid the speculations that he might meet PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief J P Nadda to discuss issues ranging from his JD(U)’s entry in the Union cabinet to the recent split in the Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). JD(U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi told TOI on Monday that Nitish would stay in New Delhi for three days. “But, I am not aware about his detailed itinerary as to whom he will meet during his stay in Delhi,” Tyagi said over phone from Delhi. However, another senior JD(U) leader and Munger MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said the CM was going to the national capital for his medical check-up and taking advice from certain doctors. Singh also said it was the CM’s “private visit” and denied reports about political meetings. But some NDA leaders said the Bihar CM might meet some senior BJP leaders to discuss issues related to the Union cabinet expansion and political developments in the LJP. As PM Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah recently held a series of parleys with senior BJP and RSS leaders in New Delhi, speculations are rife about possible Union cabinet expansion in the next few days. There is a strong buzz in Bihar’s political circles about the likely inclusion of JD(U) members as well as the rebel LJP MP Pashupati Kumar Paras in the Union cabinet. Sources in the JD(U) said party president RCP Singh and Munger MP Lalan would be the party’s first choice for the cabinet berth, if the BJP offers only two seats to Nitish’s party. JD(U) also wants to send one member from the extremely backward castes (EBCs), its core voters, to the Union cabinet. Hence, it wants at least three berths. “If permitted, Rajya Sabha member Ram Nath Thakur (who is the son of former CM Karpoori Thakur) or Jehanabad MP Chandeshwar Prasad may be considered,” a senior JD(U) leader said, adding that JD(U) would join the Modi cabinet only when it gets “respectable representation”. However, RCP on Monday said CM Nitish Kumar will take a final decision on the names to be included in the Union cabinet. This time, Nitish is visiting the national capital after a gap of four months. Last time he went to Delhi on February 11 when he called on PM Modi and backed three contentious farm laws.

The Times of India

2021-06-22

Patna