Bihar minister Renu Kushwaha sends resignation to Nitish as her husband joins BJP

The Nitish Kumar government on Monday evening received a setback when minister Renu Kushwaha sent her resignation to the Chief Minister.

Though the Industries and Disaster Management Minister did not pick up the phone, her office staff confirmed that she had sent her resignation letter on "moral ground".

Kushwaha's husband Vijay Singh had joined BJP in the presence of Narendra Modi at his rally in Purnea earlier in the day.

Sources said Kumar had a talk with the minister and asked her to reconsider her decision.

Kushwaha, MLA from Bihariganj in Madhepura district, is the second minister to quit Nitish Kumar cabinet after the resignation of Parveen Amanullah who joined the Aam Admi Party (AAP).

With these two resignations, the Nitish Kumar cabinet is left with 16 ministers after JD-U severed ties with BJP in mid-June last year.