Kushwaha may align with JD(U), get education berth

Rashtriya Lok Samta Party chief and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha is said to be in talks to align his party with the JD(U) and become the education minister in the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar.

A JD(U) source said: “There won’t be a merger of RLSP with JD(U). Since Kushwaha has been taking up education issues, he could become education minister,” the source said, adding that the RLSP leader would be nominated to the Upper House in Bihar soon.

The Bihar Cabinet is likely to be expanded next week, with the JD(U) and BJP reportedly agreeing to a 50:50 seat-sharing formula.

From the BJP, Syed Shanawaz Hussain is a front-runner for a ministerial berth. Other contenders from the party included Nitish Mishra, Samrat Choudhary, Nitin Navin, Rana Randhir Singh and Gyanendra Singh Gyanu.

Meanwhile, Chainpur MLA Jama Khan, the lone BSP legislator in Bihar, joined the JD(U) on Friday. Khan could be made a minister and be given the charge of the minority welfare department. Independent MLA Chakai Sumit Singh is also likely to become a minister from the JD (U) quota.