Ministerial berths for JD(U) in to be decided by Modi and Nitish

However, the number of ministerial berths which the JD(U) will get in the Union cabinet will be decided by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and JD(U) chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Mr. Modi will be sworn in as Prime Minister for the second consecutive term on Thursday evening.

Further aiming to galvanise and expand the support base and make the party stronger, the national executive of Janata Dal (U) will meet on June 9 in Patna. In a meeting with the top leadership, the party passed a "thanksgiving" resolution after it performed well in Bihar Lok Sabha and Arunachal Pradesh Assembly elections.

Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, JD(U) General Secretary KC Tyagi said: "In the meeting headed by party president Nitish Kumar, it was decided to launch an aggressive membership drive. In the national executive, the agenda for organisational elections will be announced formally. Senior leader Anil Hegde has been nominated as the party's election officer."

Mr. Tyagi said the JD (U) president is in regular touch with top leadership of the BJP.

"Nitish Kumar will take decision on faces while the numbers and portfolios will be decided by Narendra Modi," he added.

Besides Nitish Kumar, Bihar JD(U) president Bashishtha Narain Singh, senior leaders including RCP Singh, Pavan Verma, Sanjay Jha, KC Tyagi were among others present during the meeting.

The JD(U) won 16 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats it contested in Bihar and has extended support to BJP-led government in Arunachal Pradesh.