Nitish Kumar on JD-U role in Modi-led NDA-II: Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar said his party will remain part of the Narendra Modi-led NDA-II government at the Centre but none of its MP will hold portfolios in the Modi government 2.0. On being questioned if a discrepancy over the seat-sharing formula exits between the BJP and the JD(U), Nitish said the JD(U) is a key NDA ally and there is no room for speculation over the longevity of the alliance.
Reports said the JD(U) had initially planned to recommend its Rajya Sabha member of Parliament (MP) RCP Singh and newly elected Lok Sabha MP from Munger Rajiv Ranjan Singh for Cabinet berths in the new Narendra Modi government. Nitish Kumar had met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Wednesday amidst JD(U) speculations of being invited to be a part of the new government.
In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections 2019, the Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) won 16 of the 17 seats it had contested from Bihar while the BJP and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) won all 17 seats and 6 seats, respectively. Thus, the NDA won a total of 39 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.
