Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a clear message to his foe-turned-friend Nitish Kumar that it is not the BJP but the Bihar CM who needed a helping hand. Modi simply ignored his new ally JD(U) in the Cabinet reshuffle which was expected to get place in the Central Ministry.
The Sunday expansion, which saw two Ministers of State — both from BJP — being inducted and taking the number of Ministers from Bihar to eight after dropping Rajiv Pratap Rudy, certainly left the JD(U) in exremely embarrassing position.
The Chief Minister on the eve of Cabinet expansion pleaded that the speculation of JD(U)'s inclusion was figment of imagination of the media. “If any such proposal comes we will definitely consider it. But for the time being there is no such thing,” he said.
But the speculation had been going on in the political circles in Delhi as well as corridors of power here that at least two of the JD(U) representatives would be Union Minister with one of them of cabinet rank. The names making the rounds included that of Nitish's Man Friday RCP Singh.
The denial that there was no invitation to the JD(U) from the BJP came only on Saturday after the names of the new Ministers were made official. There had been no word of denial from JD(U) when the speculations were being made for over one week.
Guess who is the happiest person to watch denial of berths to JD(U)IJ None else but RJD supremo lalu Prasad who is having last laugh. “Ab inka (Nitish) ka kahin thikana nahi hai. Ab inka last hai. Nobody takes his notice and JD(U) has lost its existance,” said lalu in his charesterestic style.
The RJD boss chuckled, “Some JD(U) men were dreaming to become Central Ministers. They had got new clothes and bandis stitched. They kept on waiting and even Nitish admitted that he was not consulted. They had been claiming to be part of NDA and were celebrating in anticipation.” He said with RJD and Congress Nitish was living in peace and heading Government. “He was doing whatever he wanted to do and I was giving him approval. Now he is punished and dark days are ahead for him because the local BJP had reported to high command that Nitish was trying to break Congress to get majority on his own and that he should not be trusted." lalu further said that Raj Kumar Singh, a former bureaucrat and MP from Ara, should have been made cabinet Minister with Defence Ministry.
Former Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav too made sarcastic remarks on Nitish. He tweeted, “We can just pray & wish for his poliical well being in NDA. Hope he finds better place next time. My sincere wishes & sympathy.”
Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah made a swipe at Bihar CM. IN his tweet he said, “Spare a thought for Nitish Kumar ji who was the bee's knees in the UPA & now only hears of Union Cabinet reshuffle through the media.”