Bihar CM Nitish Kumar likely to expand his cabinet today

Jitendra K Shrivastava

Tribune News Service

Patna, July 29

A day after the Nitish Kumar government won the trust vote in Bihar Assembly, the expansion of new cabinet is likely on Saturday, and 16 ministers are expected to take oath.

Nitish, who dumped the grand alliance, has been sworn in as Chief Minister. Senior BJP leader Sushil Modi was also administered the oath by Bihar Governor KN Tripathi on Thursday.

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From JD-U quota, those who had been ministers in previous cabinet are expected to retain their posts except a few who will be dropped.

Instead of the RJD, ministers from the BJP are likely to be inducted along with other allies of the BJP—RLSP and LJP.

HAM (S) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi had made it clear on Friday that he was the MLA from his party and he would be remain away from the new cabinet.

The new cabinet can have a maximum of 35 ministers other than the Chief Minister. Only Sushil Modi has taken oath so far.