Express News Service
PATNA: After JD-U denied him nomination to Rajya Sabha in the upcoming election, the lone minister of the party in the Union cabinet, RCP Singh’s continuation in the position has become a question mark.
Even though Singh can remain a minister for six more months after the expiry of his present RS term on July 7, it is difficult to predict whether such a situation would be allowed to go on for long.
Singh, however, said it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s discretion to keep anyone in his cabinet and he could ask for his (Singh’s) resignation anytime.
The JD-U leader further said he will meet the PM when visits New Delhi.
Meanwhile, to a media query if RCP needed to resign the minister post following denial of ticket to the Rajya Sabha, party supremo and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the former did not need to tender his resignation now.
“His term in the Upper House has not gotten over yet,” he added.
After the formation of new NDA government at the Centre in 2019, the JD-U had ruled out joining the Modi government even though Union home minister Amit Shah had called Nitish to persuade his party to reconsider its decision.
JD-U had refused to accept the one ministerial berth for each ally as proposed by the BJP.
Ahead of the expansion of the Union cabinet in 2021, the issue of JDU rejoining the cabinet cropped up again and Nitish insisted that the BJP, instead of giving symbolic representation to his party by allocating one ministerial berth, should give proportionate representation and should induct two leaders from his party as ministers.
Nitish reportedly wanted JD-U president and party MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh inducted into the Union cabinet.
Hence, Nitish deputed RCP to hold talks with BJP’s leaders on the issue but RCP instead joined the cabinet, much to the chagrin of Nitish.
It is considered the main reason Nitish refused to re-nominate RCP to Rajya Sabha for the third consecutive term this time.
RCP, however, claimed that he had joined the Union cabinet by informing Nitish as well as Lalan Singh.
