Proportional representation in cabinet needed, says Nitish Kumar

Patna, May 31: The JD(U), BJP's crucial ally in Bihar, which pulled out of the Narendra Modi-led government has made it clear that the party does not want to join the new Cabinet just for the sake of "symbolic" representation.

Addressing mediapersons on Friday, Nitish Kumar maintained that there was no problem in the BJP-JDU alliance with the saffron party over the number of ministerial berths offered to it, but added that the party opted out since it did not want a symbolic representation in the Modi government.

JD-U spokesperson Pavan Varma on Thursday had said that it would not join the new Narendra Modi government. "We are not joining the government. This is our decision," Varma, who is also the general secretary of the Janata Dal-United), told PTI.

The BJP has offered one cabinet berth to the JD-U and the regional party was also unhappy with the portfolio offered to it.

The JD-U, which is headed by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was not a part of the first Modi government as well. It had allied with the saffron party in 2017 but had not joined the government.