Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and RCP Singh will remain ministers at the Centre, BJP leaders can contest Lok Sabha by-elections
Two Union ministers who failed to get tickets again in the Rajya Sabha elections, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi of BJP and RCP Singh of JDU will continue to be ministers for the time being. BJP can make Naqvi the party candidate in the future by-election of Rampur Lok Sabha. The condition of RCP Singh is not clear. The term of both ends in July. According to the constitutional provisions, even without being a member of Parliament, he can remain a minister for six months.
The tenure of four ministers of the Modi government in the Rajya Sabha is ending. Of these, three are from BJP and one from JDU. BJP has decided to send Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal to Rajya Sabha again, but Naqvi has not been given ticket. JDU has fielded Khiru Mahto in place of its lone Union minister RCP Singh. It is a challenge for both to retain the ministerial post.
Azam Khan’s seat vacant
Naqvi is currently a Rajya Sabha MP from Jharkhand and Singh from Bihar. According to sources, BJP is preparing to field Naqvi in the Rampur Lok Sabha by-election. The seat fell vacant after SP leader Azam Khan resigned from the Lok Sabha after becoming an MLA. In such a situation, Naqvi will have the option of going to Parliament. Naqvi has been a Lok Sabha MP from here in 1998. Naqvi has won once and lost twice from Rampur seat. However, there may be problems for RCP Singh.
Both will be ministers till July
According to sources, the government will keep both of them as ministers till July. After that a decision will be taken considering the circumstances. It will also include the strategy for the upcoming Presidential and Vice Presidential elections. If JD(U) does not want to keep RCP Singh as a minister, then BJP will not. Now Nitish Kumar himself has said that RCP will remain a minister till his tenure. At the same time, what steps RCP Singh takes, it will be clear in the coming days. At one time RCP used to be very special to Nitish Kumar.
What is a constitutional provision?
According to Article 164(4) of the Indian Constitution, a minister can remain in office for six months without being a member of either House. To retain the chair, he must be elected a member of either house within six months. Failure to do so will result in the resignation of the minister. After the resignation of Naqvi-RCP Singh, the Prime Minister can get him sworn in as a minister again.
