Caste balance not maintained in Bihar Cabinet, says BJP MLA

Expressing his disappointment over Cabinet expansion, BJP MLA Gyanendra Singh Gyanu on Tuesday said that "caste balance" is not maintained in the expansion and South Bihar is completely ignored.

"Caste balance is not maintained. Around 50 per cent of BJP candidates of upper caste won polls but none were appointed as Deputy Chief Minister. Those who did not win or have less experience or are criminals are included in the cabinet. South Bihar is completely ignored," Gyanu told reporters

Seventeen ministers including Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Shravan Kumar and Madan Sahni today took oath as ministers in Bihar Cabinet. Governor Phagu Chouhan administered the oath of office to the new ministers.

Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, Shravan Kumar, Madan Sahni, Pramod Kumar, Sanjay Kumar Jha, Lesi Singh, Samrat Chowdhary, Neeraj Kumar Singh, Subash Singh, Nitin Naveen, Sumit Kumar Singh, Sunil Kumar, Narayan Prasad, Jayant Raj, Alok Ranjan, Jama Khan and Janak Ram took oath as ministers.

After the cabinet expansion ceremony, the Chief Minister said the portfolios of ministers will be allotted soon.

On November 16 last year, Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar was sworn in as Chief Minister of Bihar for the fourth straight term following the NDA's victory in state Assembly polls.

( With inputs from ANI )