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PATNA: Ahead of the floor test of the newly-formed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) govt in Bihar, Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) patron and former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday demanded two ministerial berths in the Nitish Kumar cabinet, adding fresh tension to the six-day-old govt in the state. Manjhi even reminded the top BJP leadership that he chose to stay with the NDA after setting aside the offer of CM post by the Grand Alliance.
Manjhi, whose party became a part of the NDA in June last year after quitting the Grand Alliance when told to merge his outfit with JD(U) demanded two ministerial berths.HAM(S) has four members in the state assembly and their role becomes crucial during the trust motion at a time when the NDA enjoys a thin majority. The NDA claims to have the support of 128 legislators in the 243-member Bihar assembly, which is only six more than the majority mark of 122.
“We want two ministerial posts in the govt. An Independent has walked away with a ministerial post and I have information that he is being offered the portfolio of his choice. This will be gross injustice to us if our demand is not fulfilled,” Manjhi told the media on Friday. He informed he also conveyed his demand to Union home minister Amit Shah although he described it as a “little bit difficult”. Currently, HAM(S) has been given one ministerial berth.
“I talked to Amit Shah over this issue, and he said it looks difficult but making the difficult task easy is not a big problem for him,” Manjhi said, and revealed how the Grand Alliance people offered him the post of the CM and they had complete discussions with his family members.
“But I spurned the offer. Jitan Ram Manjhi can be poor but cannot be dishonest. If someone thinks that they can offer me a big amount for a post then it is only their misunderstanding,” HAM chief said, claiming he is a kind of person who honours the commitments he makes to anyone and doesn’t back out of the promise.
HAM(S) founder further triggered storms in the political circles by seeking for a review of the liquor law alleging it is the poor who have been the worst victims of this draconian law, instead he demanded for implementation of the Gujarat model of prohibition under which “the people get alcohol on permit”. “More than half of the total police force here is currently engaged in enforcing this law which has caused law and order problems. Also, the state is losing huge revenue every year due to enforcement of liquor law. So, the liquor law must be reviewed,” Manjhi demanded.
Manjhi also hinted about troubles in the NDA camp saying he had been in active politics for the past over four decades but never saw such delay in distribution of portfolios among ministers who took oath. “I have been in politics for 44 years. Earlier whenever a Cabinet was formed in Bihar, portfolios were usually distributed within hours of ministers taking oath. This time it is getting delayed which means there are some troubles within the NDA,” he said.
The newly formed NDA govt will seek the trust vote on February 12, the inaugural day of the budget session, according to a revised notification issued on the matter on Thursday. Nitish along with eight ministers took oath on Sunday (Jan 28) to form his new govt with the support of BJP and its allies after ditching the Grand Alliance that he had joined barely 17 months back.
Manjhi, whose party became a part of the NDA in June last year after quitting the Grand Alliance when told to merge his outfit with JD(U) demanded two ministerial berths.HAM(S) has four members in the state assembly and their role becomes crucial during the trust motion at a time when the NDA enjoys a thin majority. The NDA claims to have the support of 128 legislators in the 243-member Bihar assembly, which is only six more than the majority mark of 122.
“We want two ministerial posts in the govt. An Independent has walked away with a ministerial post and I have information that he is being offered the portfolio of his choice. This will be gross injustice to us if our demand is not fulfilled,” Manjhi told the media on Friday. He informed he also conveyed his demand to Union home minister Amit Shah although he described it as a “little bit difficult”. Currently, HAM(S) has been given one ministerial berth.
“I talked to Amit Shah over this issue, and he said it looks difficult but making the difficult task easy is not a big problem for him,” Manjhi said, and revealed how the Grand Alliance people offered him the post of the CM and they had complete discussions with his family members.
“But I spurned the offer. Jitan Ram Manjhi can be poor but cannot be dishonest. If someone thinks that they can offer me a big amount for a post then it is only their misunderstanding,” HAM chief said, claiming he is a kind of person who honours the commitments he makes to anyone and doesn’t back out of the promise.
HAM(S) founder further triggered storms in the political circles by seeking for a review of the liquor law alleging it is the poor who have been the worst victims of this draconian law, instead he demanded for implementation of the Gujarat model of prohibition under which “the people get alcohol on permit”. “More than half of the total police force here is currently engaged in enforcing this law which has caused law and order problems. Also, the state is losing huge revenue every year due to enforcement of liquor law. So, the liquor law must be reviewed,” Manjhi demanded.
Manjhi also hinted about troubles in the NDA camp saying he had been in active politics for the past over four decades but never saw such delay in distribution of portfolios among ministers who took oath. “I have been in politics for 44 years. Earlier whenever a Cabinet was formed in Bihar, portfolios were usually distributed within hours of ministers taking oath. This time it is getting delayed which means there are some troubles within the NDA,” he said.
The newly formed NDA govt will seek the trust vote on February 12, the inaugural day of the budget session, according to a revised notification issued on the matter on Thursday. Nitish along with eight ministers took oath on Sunday (Jan 28) to form his new govt with the support of BJP and its allies after ditching the Grand Alliance that he had joined barely 17 months back.
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