Bihar’s ruling JD(U) has formed a jumbo 154-member state executive committee under its new state chief Bashisth Narayan Singh, a close confidant of chief minister Nitish Kumar, who has aimed at giving adequate representation to the various castes, the minorities and women.
The JD(U), in noticeable celebratory moods due to its gain of 28 more MLAs in last month’s Assembly polls than in 2005, aims at keeping its grassroots units in excellent shape so as to help accelerate the state’s development, said leaders during the reconstitution of the executive committee on Thursday. The JD(U) contested on 141 seats and won an astounding 115 seats.
The 154-member state executive committee has 43 vice-presidents, 77 general secretaries and 34 secretaries. Eleven women and 36 Muslims are part of this committee in various capacities. Some ministers in the last NDA government who lost the Assembly polls and some similarly unfortunate MLAs have also been accommodated. The new office-bearers include a few leaders like Arbind Kumar alias Chhotu who quit the Opposition RJD to join the JD(U) just before the polls.
MLC Sanjay Singh was named chief spokesman of the JD(U)’s state unit apart from four spokespersons. Former ministers Ramnath Thakur and Sonadhari Singh were among the state vice-presidents. The party also announced a 53-member state executive council, which includes chief minister Nitish Kumar, several ministers, some MPs and MLAs.
Vashisth Narayan Singh, who picked the party functionaries in consultation with the chief minister, also reconstituted various wings of the state JD(U). “My effort would be to keep the party organisation working at its best capacity all the time,” said Singh to this newspaper.