Patna, April 13 : The resignations of eight ministers of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar were accepted a few hours ahead of a scheduled expansion of the council of ministers Sunday evening, official sources said. Official sources said Nitish Kumar had asked his ministerial colleagues Saturday night to submit their resignations.

“All the ministers submitted their resignations Sunday and Governor R.S. Gavai accepted the resignations of eight of them with immediate effect,” an official said Sunday.

The eight who may lose ministerial berths include Rural Development Minister Vaidyanath Mahto, Building Construction & Housing Minister Monajir Hasan, Welfare Minister Rameshwar Paswan, State Minister for Food, Supply and Commerce Suchitra Devi, State Minister for Information and Public Relations Arjun Rai, State Minister for Transport Ajit Kumar, State minister for Minority Welfare Manjar Alam & Vishwa Mohan Kumar (Minor Water Resource)

The much-awaited expansion, the first after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government came to power in November 2005, is likely to see the induction of new faces and a reshuffle of portfolios.

According to official sources in the chief minister’s office, in a surprise development, the expansion will take place at 6.50 p.m. Sunday.

“The new faces will be sworn in as ministers by the governor in a simple ceremony,” an official said.

Till Sunday morning, it was said that expansion is possible Tuesday or Wednesday.

Urban Development Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey was the first to resign Saturday night followed by half a dozen ministers. The other ministers submitted resignation Sunday.

It was decided that ministers from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would submit their resignation to BJP’s Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and those from the Janata Dal-United to Nitish Kumar.

Nitish Kumar and 26 ministers took oath in November 2005.

(IANS)