Patna, May 8 (IANS) A day after the expansion of the Bihar Cabinet and the allocation of ministerial portfolios, Samrat Choudhary paid a courtesy visit to former Chief Minister and JD(U) National President, Nitish Kumar, on Friday.
The meeting took place at Nitish Kumar’s official residence located at 7 Circular Road and reportedly lasted for nearly 30 minutes.
The interaction between Samrat Choudhary and Nitish Kumar is being viewed as politically significant because it came immediately after the completion of portfolio distribution in the newly-expanded NDA government in Bihar.
Political circles believe the two leaders discussed allocation of ministerial portfolios, coordination within the NDA alliance, administrative priorities of the new Cabinet, and broader political developments in the state.
The recent Cabinet expansion saw several JD(U) leaders receiving key departments, including the induction of Nitish Kumar’s son Nishant Kumar, who has been entrusted with the Health Department.
Later, an interesting moment unfolded outside 7 Circular Road as Samrat Choudhary was leaving after the meeting with Nitish Kumar.
Union Minister, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as Lalan Singh, was arriving at Nitish Kumar’s residence at the same time.
According to reports, security arrangements required Lalan Singh’s convoy to stop outside the residence gate while Samrat Choudhary’s motorcade was exiting the premises.
Lalan Singh then proceeded towards the residence on foot.
As the two leaders came face-to-face near the main gate, Samrat Choudhary briefly halted his convoy and the two leaders exchanged greetings before continuing on their respective routes.
The brief interaction quickly became a talking point in political circles because of the timing and the ongoing discussions surrounding the new Cabinet structure.
The expanded Samrat Cabinet has generated considerable discussion due to the inclusion of several new faces and the distribution of important portfolios among NDA allies.
Apart from Nishant Kumar’s induction as Health Minister, several senior JD(U) leaders have also been assigned significant departments.