Patna: In a veiled warning, HAM leader Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday claimed that the successor of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar would have to follow his footsteps else he would not be able to survive.
Addressing a public gathering during Nitish`s ‘Samriddhi Yatra’ in Gaya, Manjhi said, “Nitish is now set to move to Rajya Sabha but whoever succeeds him here will have to follow in Nitish's footsteps.”
“If Nitish's successor does not follow him, he will not be able to survive,” former chief minister Manjhi remarked.
Meanwhile, BJP and JD (U) have reportedly reached a consensus on the structure of a new government in Bihar, to be formed next month.
After the election of Nitish to the Rajya Sabha, BJP will now install its own CM. There is also a doubt whether Nitish will join the Modi government as a union minister as he is more likely to serve solely as a member of the upper house only. Nitish’s term in Rajya Sabha will start on April 10, so it is expected that he will resign from the post of chief minister and also from the membership of state legislative council before that. While BJP will get the post of chief minister as there is also a possibility that there will be a major restructuring of the new cabinet with BJP and JD (U) exchanging key portfolios. There is also speculation that besides Nitish`s son, Nishant Kumar, a senior leader from JD (U) will also be given the post of deputy chief minister in the new government.
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Under the current formula, BJP holds two deputy chief minister posts and 16 ministerial portfolios, whereas the JD (U) holds the chief minister's post and 15 ministerial portfolios. Other alliance partners—specifically the LJP (RV)—hold two ministerial posts, while the RLM and HAM hold one each. The underlying formula for portfolio allocation is based on assigning one ministerial berth for every 4.5 to 5 assembly seats held by a party.
