PATNA: The lone MLA of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Bihar, Mohammad Zama Khan (47), joined the ruling JD(U) after meeting CM Nitish Kumar at the latter’s official residence on Friday.
Thus, the JD(U) got a Muslim MLA in the assembly and its total count of MLAs in the 243-member house increased to 44.
As Zama is the only Muslim MLA in the four-party NDA in Bihar, there is strong speculation in political circles that he might get a berth in the Nitish cabinet during its next expansion. Nitish has already announced that cabinet expansion would take place soon.
Zama won Chainpur seat in Kaimur district in the 2020 assembly polls on the BSP symbol, defeating BJP senior leader and then minister Brij Kishor Bind by a margin of more than 24,000 votes.
JD(U)’s state working president and education minister Ashok Choudhary was present when Zama met the CM.
Later, Zama went to the residence of Choudhary where senior JD(U) leaders like the party’s state president Umesh Kushwaha, the NDA’s chief whip in assembly Shrawan Kumar and Choudhary himself welcomed the Chainpur MLA by offering him flower bouquets and a shawl.
Later, Choudhary also announced Zama’s entry into the JD(U) at a press conference where the Chainpur MLA said he decided to join the ruling JD(U) as he was impressed by CM Nitish Kumar and his development works. “I think I can do more for the development of my constituency, district and the people by strengthening the hands of CM Nitish, who has done several works for the development in the state,” Zama said.
When asked whether he has got an assurance of getting a ministerial berth in the next cabinet expansion, Zama said, “I joined the JD(U) after seeing development-related schemes and other good works of Nitish Ji. I decided to join his party on the issue of development.”