In choice for Modi Cabinet, Nitish sends subtle message to BJP
Image credit X @LalanSingh_1
Nitish Kumar picks Lalan Singh for Modi Cabinet
By Manish Anand
New Delhi, June 9: The Janata Dal (United) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh will take oath as a Cabinet Minister in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the Council of ministers, the JD (U) was allocated one Cabinet and one Minister of State berths.
The JD (U) has fielded the party’s senior most leader in the Lok Sabha for the Modi-headed Cabinet. The Bihar Chief Minister met the party leaders on Sunday ahead of the swearing in ceremony in the national capital.
The JD (U) observers were betting on either Lalan Singh or Sanjay Jha getting the go ahead from the chief minister to join the NDA government in the Cabinet rank. Jha is a Rajya Sabha MP while also being a close confidante of the Bihar chief minister.
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“The Bihar chief minister will drop hints of the approach of the JD (U) with his choice of nominee for the Cabinet Minister. The BJP will be pleased with the choice of Jha. The BJP will be on guard with Singh,” said a source in the JD (U).
Incidentally, the Bihar chief minister had become the president of the JD (U) just weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. He had replaced Singh.
It was said in the JD (U) that the Bihar chief minister wants to deal with the BJP directly as he replaced Lalan Singh from the post of the party president. Lalan Singh was also attributed to have been soft towards the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) while being critical of the BJP.
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Kumar had snapped alliance with the RJD to shake hands with the BJP once ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Kumar and Singh had held extensive parleys ahead of the JD (U) snapping ties with the RJD.
Lalan Singh represents Munger parliamentary seat in the Lok Sabha. He had strained relations with the Bihar chief minister during the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) headed by the then Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh.
While being leader of the JD (U) in the Lok Sabha, Lalan Singh was sharply critical of the BJP.
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With Harivansh Narayan Singh as the deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the JD (U) already has a friendly anchor with the BJP.
Unlike other JD (U) candidates in the Lok Sabha elections, Lalan Singh had marked his campaign distinctly in Munger in Bihar where he sought votes on basis of works done by him in the past. Other JD (U) candidates had sought votes in the name of Modi.
“Lalan Singh will remain a vocal representative of the JD (U) in the NDA government. He will also ensure that the JD (U) will not be a pushover in the alliance,” a source in the JD (U) added.
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