No induction of AIADMK ministers but JD(U) could be in

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 1 2017 DH News : Contrary to expectations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be inducting any AIADMK leader into his government when he undertakes a reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers.

With the AIADMK caught in an internal crisis over the role of jailed leader V K Sasikala’s nephew T T V Dhinakaran, the party is yet to formalise its ties with the NDA, BJP sources said.

Modi does not wish to be seen being dragged into their internal fight when some MLAs belonging to Dhinakaran’s group have opposed Tamil Nadu chief minister K K Palaniswami.

On the other hand, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) is expected to be offered two berths in the new Cabinet.

As for the AIADMK, the BJP sources insisted, no discussion had taken place on the reshuffle issue between the PM and TN CM E K Palaniswami and deputy CM O Pannerselvam.

Both these leaders joined hands recently to stave off a threat of a takeover by TTV Dhinakaran, who was later expelled by the reunited AIADMK.

These two leaders had merged their rival AIADMK factions after the PM asked them to honour the five-year mandate won by late Jayalalithaa in May 2016.

BJP chief Amit Shah had met Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai on Thursday after the latter had met the PM. But there was no discussion on the AIADMK joining at the Centre.

As for Nitish Kumar, the JD(U) national executive committee had held a meeting on August 19 to endorse the party’s entry into the NDA

Nitish is set to name his close aide, Rajya Sabha MP Ram Chandra Prasad Singh and another leader. For the second slot, among the names under Nitish’s consideration include Purnea MP Santosh Kushwaha and Ram Nath Thakur, a Rajya Sabha MP and son of former Bihar CM late Karpoori Thakur.

One of them is likely to be sworn in along with other BJP nominees on Sunda.

The JD(U) has two members in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha after two of its MPs Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar decided to toe a different line.

Ramchandra Prasad Singh, better known as RCP in Bihar political circles, is a second time Rajya Sabha MP. Nitish is said to have conveyed to the PM that an important portfolio in the Union cabinet may be given to him, BJP sources said.

Kushwaha was earlier a BJP MLA before joining JD(U) ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha polls.