Bihar: Newly inducted minister in Nitish cabinet, Ratnesh Sada, takes oath

Governor Arlekar administered oath to Ratnesh Sada at a simple ceremony organised in Raj Bhavan. Chief Minister Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav, Finance Minister Vijay Chaudhary and JD(U) president Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh were among others present on the occasion.

Sada, a seasoned leader from Dalit community, was thrice elected to Bihar Legislative Assembly in a row from Sonbarsa constituency since 2010.

Chief Minister Kumar has decided to induct Sada in his cabinet after the resignation of Santosh Manjhi as Minister after differences of his party JD(U) with HAM. Their relation soured after Chief Minister Kumar had offered HAM to merge with JD(U) which was not acceptable to HAM supremo Jeetan Ram Manjhi, former Chief Minister of Bihar.

Soon after he resigned from the cabinet on Tuesday, Santosh Manjhi told media persons that pressure was mounting on HAM to merge with JD(U). The offer of JD(U) was an attempt to end the existence of HAM, which could not be accepted at all, he had alleged.

As it is, there are six parties in the Grand Alliance comprising JD(U), RJD, Congress, CPI, CPI(M) and HAM. Interestingly, HAM has not formally declared its exit from Grand Alliance but JD(U) president Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh said on Tuesday that in his opinion, HAM was out of Grand Alliance.