Six ministerial berths in the Narendra Modi's council of ministers are likely to go to MPs elected from Bihar. While three of these are likely to be of the Cabinet rank, others will be of ministers of state rank. Of these, three berths may go to those who joined NDA or BJP before the polls and the remaining to the key BJP leaders from the state.
Among those who joined the party or the coalition just before the elections, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan may bag a cabinet berth, rebel RJD MP Ram Kripal Yadav, who joined the BJP just before the elections breaking his four-decade-old relation with Lalu Prasad, is most likely to become minister of state (MoS) in the railway ministry. Bihar's prominent backward leader and the founder of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) Upendra Kushwaha, and BJP's Buxor MP Ashwani Choubey may also bag the MoS berths. RLSP also joined NDA just before the elections.
A source close to the development told dna, "Ram Kripal Yadav and Upendra Kushwaha being stalwart leaders as per the caste equations in the states' electoral politics will indeed get a leverage especially as there would be elections next year and the BJP has big plans for the state."
Sources also point out that even though the name of Ram Vilas Paswan is being reckoned with for a cabinet berth, there are chances that his son Chirag Paswan may become a minister with independent charge.
"If Paswan is not given a cabinet rank, his son is likely to get the rank of minister independent charge. In this case, another LJP leader, Mehboob Ali Kaiser will also get a ministry," said the source. Mehboob Kaiser Ali an MP from Bihar is the only Muslim MP among all the NDA partners. He too had left Congress and joined the LJP just before the elections.
The other BJP MPs from the state who are likely to get the cabinet berths are Ravishankar Prasad (Law) and Rajiv P Rudy (civil aviation).
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}