Bihar MLA Bima Bharti Upset Over Leshi Singh's Ministerial Appointment

Not all is well in the newly sworn-in Bihar government with Janata Dal (United). MLA Bima Bharti feels biased decisions were made while allocating ministerial positions.

Bharti is upset over Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's decision of inducting five-time MLA Leshi Singh as the Minister of Food and consumer protection in the Bihar government.

Bima Bharti Leshi Singh Controversy

Bharti is enraged over being excluded from the Cabinet. She questioned why MLA Singh was sworn in as a minister for the third time in the Cabinet expansion. Taking a dig at her, she said, 'I am upset with JDU MLA Singh that she's always chosen in the cabinet. What does the CM see in her? She repeatedly creates controversies in her area and brings shame to the party. Why we are not heard? Is it because we're from a backward caste? I will resign from the party if she remains in the ministerial position. If my allegations are wrong, I will resign, as the MLA', challenged Bharti.

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Likewise, another conflict brewed on August 17 when Union Minister for Power and Renewable Energy RK Singh attacked CM Nitish Kumar over declaring Kartikeya Singh as a law minister. He was upset, citing how someone with criminal charges can be a law minister. 

RK Singh exclaimed, 'We are also from Bihar and we are ashamed. Jungle raj part-2 is back in Bihar. Should Law Minister be an absconder and that too in the case of kidnapping? How has Kartikeya Singh been made law minister who is the right hand of Anant Singh, who is a don', as per ANI report.

After dismantling the previous government, the CM Nitish Kumar-led government reshuffled the Bihar cabinet on August 16. The 31 ministers were sworn in as ministers during the cabinet expansion. Among which 16 were from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), 11 were from Nitish’s Janta Dal-United (JD-U), two were from Congress, one was from Hindustani Awam Morch (HAM), and one was an Independent lawmaker. 

The CM Kumar kept the Home Department portfolio. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav undertook Health Department’s portfolio. JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary got the Finance Department, and RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav held Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. 

Who is Leshi Singh and Bima Bharati?

Leshi Singh entered Bihar politics post her spouse's demise. Singh (JD-U) is a fifth-term MLA from the Dhamdaha seat and became a minister in Nitish Kumar's government three times. Singh has been allegedly accused of multiple murder conspiracies.  

Bima Bharati has represented the Rupauli constituency in Bihar four times from November. She also served as Minister of Sugarcane Industries in the Government of Bihar.