Perhaps, taking a cue from the Shiv Sena’s tough posturing in Maharashtra, BJP’s other NDA ally, JD(U), which had refused to join the Modi Government in June, on Wednesday, pushed for a “proportionate representation” for the party in the Union Cabinet, saying if PM Narendra Modi or BJP president Amit Shah takes an initiative to this effect, it will welcome the move.

At the party’s national council, which was addressed by party chief Nitish Kumar, the JD (U) sent feelers to BJP that the Bihar CM has given the ruling party a proportionate representation in the State Government as partner.

“If NDA leaders Modi and Shah take an initiative for the JD(U)’s proportionate representation in the Government, we will welcome it,” said JDU general secretary KC Tyagi addressing a Press conference after the party’s council meet.

Noting that his party is the biggest NDA constituent in Bihar, Tyagi said an adequate representation of JD(U) will make Bihar more representative in the Union Government and that it will be socially more broadbased and cohesive. The BJP had offered one berth to each of its ally following its landslide win in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The JD(U) had sought at least three ministerial berths.

The assertive stand of the JD(U), which had not joined the Modi Government as it was offered only one berth, comes at a time when Shiv Sena is demanding equal division of power in Maharashtra after its bigger partner's below-par performance in the recent poll.

Underscoring his party's long-held grievance, Tyagi noted that the JD(U) was not inducted in the first Modi Government as well, even though it inducted BJP leaders in the state government after breaking ties with Lalu Prasad-led RJD and the Congress in 2017.

As part of the opposition grand alliance in Bihar, Kumar had inflicted a heavy defeat on the BJP-led NDA in 2015 but joined it later following his differences with the RJD. In the recent Lok Sabha election, BJP and JD(U) had won 17 and 16 seats respectively in the State followed by six of the Ram Vilas Paswan-led LJP. Tyagi, however, added his party was imposing no condition on the BJP over the issue of cabinet berths.

Briefing media on Nitish Kumar's speech and other issues, Tyagi noted that the mandate of the 2015 Bihar Assembly poll was "against" the BJP but Kumar conceded to it the post of Deputy Chief Minister besides sharing Ministerial berths.

Tyagi also asserted that there is no "confusion" in his party's alliance with the BJP after Shah's recent statement that the NDA will fight the 2020 assembly polls in Bihar under Kumar's leadership. "We will do even better than the 2010 poll results," he said. The NDA had then won 206 of the 243 seats.

The JD(U), he added, will fight the upcoming assembly polls in Jharkhand and Delhi on its own. In his speech, Tyagi said, Kumar batted for nation-wide prohibition, spoke at length about his government's pro-women measures and rejected criticism over law and order issues in Bihar. He also pitched for value-based politics, saying Mahatma Gandhi's concept of 'seven social sins' should be part of political campaigns.