Daijiworld Media Network (SR)

New Delhi, Jun 2: Disappointed over his party being offered only a single berth in the Narendra Modi government, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has returned the favour by offering only one seat to BJP and having kept eight seats for his party in today's state cabinet expansion. The BJP is yet to finalize a candidate for the allotted one berth.

Commenting on this, the Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi tweeted, "Nitish Kumar has offered BJP to fill the vacant ministerial seat. BJP decided to fill it in future".

Nitish Kumar, while saying everything is fine in the NDA pointed out "When the alliance formed, it was decided in advance which party will have how many seats and which department. JDU's vacancies were increased, that is why this happened."

The BJP leaders have admitted that Nitish Kumar is not happy with BJP’s behaviour towards its allies after it received successful mandate in the Lok Sabha elections.

Irrespective of the number of seats the allies won, BJP had decided to allocate only one berth in the cabinet to each ally. The party had made the point clear by saying all the parties would be given a "symbolic representation" in the government through one seat each.

"We formed an alliance for the sake of Bihar. We have no wish for symbolic shares. We told the BJP we are with you anyway," Nitish said while pointing out that his party has won 16 of the 17 seats it contested.

Nitish’s move is seen as a signal to the BJP that he is bracing for assembly elections. In the expanded cabinet, he has included two legislators from mahadalit community, two from extreme backward castes, two from forward castes and one from Yadav and Kushwaha communities.