Nitish Kumar Leaves For Delhi Amid Cabinet Reshuffle Buzz

Nitish Kumar, who had served in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet, turned down the offer of a "token representation" to allies after the 2019 election.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today left for the national capital. While one of his aides said the visit is for medical reasons, speculation ran rife that bargaining a decent share in the Union cabinet was also on the agenda of the JD(U) leader. The JD(U) has been a BJP ally for close to three decades, barring a hiatus in 2013-2017. Mr Kumar, who had himself served in the cabinet headed by late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, turned down the offer of a "token representation" to all alliance partners after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "I do not know why his Delhi tour is being linked to the proposed cabinet reshuffle. To the best of my knowledge, he needs treatment for some eye problem and is visiting the national capital for that purpose," said Rajiv Ranjan Singh, one of the closest aides of Mr Kumar. The Union cabinet reshuffle is a prerogative of the Prime Minister and it is for him to decide whom to hold consultations with on the issue, Mr Singh said.