Narendra Modi oath-taking ceremony: JD(U) not to join new Union Cabinet, says Pavan Varma

New Delhi: BJP ally JD(U) will not join the new Narendra Modi government, its spokesperson Pavan Varma said on Thursday, in what appears to be a sign of differences with the saffron party over the number of ministerial berths offered to it. [caption id=“attachment_4783191” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  FIle image of Pavan Varma.[/caption] “We are not joining the government. This is our decision,” Varma, who is also the general secretary of the Janata Dal (United), told PTI. The BJP was offering one cabinet berth to the JD(U) and sources said the regional party was also unhappy with the portfolio offered to it. The JD(U), which is headed by Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, was not a part of the first Modi government as well. It had allied with the saffron party in 2017 but had not joined the government. There was no comment from the BJP over the development. Click here to follow LIVE updates of the Prime Minister's Swearing-In