Union Food Processing Industries Minister Chirag Paswan said on Sunday that the next government will be formed in Bihar before November 22. Speaking to reporters in Patna, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will soon finalise the blueprint for the government formation and an announcement regarding it will be made in a day or two.
"It will be done soon. Discussions are going on," Paswan said when asked about the government formation in Bihar. "A sense of clarity will come on the blueprint of the Government. I think by tonight, I will also speak with senior Union Ministers, and the blueprint will be ready by today or tomorrow. We have to form the Govt before 22nd November. It will be done."
The 43-year-old's remark comes a day he endorsed Janata Dal United (JDU) leader Nitish Kumar to remain chief minister in the state. Though an official statement regarding this is yet to be made, many leaders of the NDA have backed Kumar for the top post. "I personally feel that Nitish Kumar should continue to head the government," the LJP-RV supremo said at a press conference in Patna on Saturday.
According to sources, the alliance has already chalked out the cabinet formula as per which the NDA constituents will get a ministerial berth for every six MLAs. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is the single largest party in the House with 89 MLAs, will get the lion's share with 15 or 16 ministerial berths. Kumar's Janata Dal United (JDU), which won 85 seats, will be given 14 berths.
Paswan's LJP-RV will get three berths. The party had won 19 seats. Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), with five seats, will get one berth. Rajya Sabha MP Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), which won four seats, will also get one ministerial berth.
