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Patna, Nov 20 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Thursday accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of adopting double standards on the issue of nepotism and said the nine new ministers inducted in the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar cabinet come from established political families.
During the recent assembly election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar repeatedly attacked RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav over his family-centric politics.
However, now with the inclusion of several ministers from political dynasties in the new NDA government in Bihar, the RJD has stepped up its counter-attack.
According to the RJD, the NDA constituents – who claim to stand firmly against dynasty politics – have themselves promoted the very nepotism they condemned by including MLAs with strong political lineage in the Cabinet.
The ministers who took oath include many prominent faces from well-known political houses.
These also include Samrat Chokri, son of former minister Shakun Chokom Vel and former MLA Parvati Devi.
Santosh Kumar Suman, son of former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, son-in-law of sitting MLA Jyoti Manjhi, and husband of current MLA Deepa Manjhi.
Ashok Chaudhary, son of former minister Mahavir Chaudhary.
Nitin Nabin, son of former MLA Naveen Kishore Sinha.
Political legacy is also visible in the women joining Bihar cabinet.
Shreyasi Singh, daughter of former Union Minister Digvijay Singh and former MP Putul Kumari, has been made minister.
Rama Nishad, daughter-in-law of former Union Minister Captain Jai Narayan Nishad and wife of former MP Ajay Nishad, has also got a place in the cabinet.
Other ministers with strong political backgrounds include Deepak Prakash, son of former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha, and MLA Snehlata; Vijay Chaudhary, son of former MLA Jagdish Prasad Chaudhary; and Sunil Kumar, son of former minister Chandrika Ram and brother of former MLA Anil Kumar.
The RJD has questioned whether the NDA’s criticism of nepotism was merely a political tool, alleging that the formation of the cabinet clearly reflects the dominance of political families.
–IANS
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