JD(U) leader Lalan Singh meets PM Modi

New Delhi: Janata Dal (United) leader Lalan Singh, a close aide of party president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

In a post on X, Singh posted pictures of him greeting Modi at his office and described it as a courtesy meeting.

The Lok Sabha MP had been a bitter critic of the central government and was considered instrumental in his party's decision to snap its ties with the BJP in 2022. He was the JD(U) president before Kumar took over from him in last December.

The regional party joined hands with the BJP for yet another time recently after walking out of the opposition bloc INDIA.

There was no official word on the details of the meeting which came amid the perceived hiccups involving his party and the ally BJP in the expansion of the state's council of ministers and allocation of portfolios.

Besides Kumar, eight ministers, including three each from the JD(U) and the BJP, were sworn in on January 28. However, portfolios have not been allocated yet to any of them.

A source said an expansion of the ministry may take place next week and then portfolios will be allocated.