Nitish Kumar likely to expand Bihar cabinet today, induct 16 to 18 new ministers

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to expand his cabinet on Saturday, an official said. [caption id=“attachment_3865725” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Firstpost/Naresh Agarwal[/caption] “Nitish Kumar would induct 16 to 18 ministers in his cabinet,” the official in the chief minister’s office said here. A day after Nitish Kumar won the trust vote in the Bihar assembly, preparations are underway at the Raj Bhawan here for swearing-in of new ministers. According to informed sources, new ministers would be inducted from the ruling Janata Dal-United-Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies combine. Meanwhile, BJP ally Hindustani Awam Morcha’s (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, the only legislator from his party, announced that he will not join the cabinet. Manjhi, a former Chief Minister, left for Delhi on Saturday morning. Nitish Kumar on Wednesday resigned as the Chief Minister, dumping Grand Alliance partners Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress. He again took oath as the Chief Minister with the support of the National Democratic Alliance on Thursday. Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi also took oath as Deputy Chief Minister.