‘Cong hopeful of two more berths in Bihar cabinet expansion’

The Congress in Bihar on Tuesday expressed hope that it will get a greater representation in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, which is likely to be expanded next month.

State Congress president Akhilesh Prasad Singh told reporters he has apprised the chief minister of his party’s sentiments and the latter has given assurance of needful action.

“The chief minister has told me that he will expand his cabinet after his ongoing Samadhan Yatra is over. He has promised that our party will be given a number of berths that is commensurate with its strength in the assembly,” he said at a press conference held at Sadaqat Ashram, the state Congress headquarters, after winding up the first 110-kilometre leg of Bihar version of Bharat Jodo Yatra owing to Makar Sankranti break.

CM Kumar’s Samadhan Yatra is likely to conclude in the first week of February. The cabinet expansion is likely before the budget session of the assembly, which will begin in the end of February.

Congress, which has 19 MLAs in the 243-member state assembly, currently has two ministers in the “Mahagathbandhan” government, which was formed after CM Kumar dumped the BJP in August last year.

Bihar cabinet can have a maximum of 36 berths, five of which are still lying vacant.

‘No rift in ruling alliance’

Ruling out any rift within the ruling alliance, Singh said all seven constituents are united and firm until the BJP-led government is thrown out of power at the Centre in 2024.

He said Congress had already wrested Himachal Pradesh from BJP in the recent state polls . “BJP has lost Himachal Pradesh, from where national BJP chief JP Nadda hails,” said the state Congress president.

Regarding the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Singh said the campaign in Bihar will resume from January 16 from Khagaria after the Makar Sankranti break.

Singh said the state Congress had invited Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to address the rally in Patna some time in the first week of February, after the second break of Bihar’s version of Bharat Jodo Yatra. “BPCC will send a formal invite to Rahul Gandhi to address the rally at Bodh Gaya after conclusion of the 1200-km padyatra in early March. By that time, Rahul Gandhi would be free from his own Yatra,” said Singh, a Rajya Sabha member and a former union minister.