Patna, Nov 20 (UNI) Janata Dal (United) Chief Nitish Kumar will be sworn in on Thursday for a historic 10th term as Chief Minister of Bihar. The ceremony will take place at the iconic Gandhi Maidan in Patna at 11:30 am.
The swearing-in ceremony will be attened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with top leaders including union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan, and the chief ministers of at least seven states ruled by the BJP.
The NDA secured a landslide victory in the recently concluded state Assembly elections, winning 202 of the 243 seats and returning to power with a strong mandate.
The BJP emerged as the single-largest party with 89 seats, while the JD(U) won 85. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) secured 19 seats, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) five, and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha won four.
Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister on Wednesday and subsequently submitted a claim to form the government to Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, supported by a letter signed by all NDA partners. Prior to this, Kumar was unanimously elected as leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Legislature Party ahead of the formation of a new government under his leadership in the State on November 20.
Earlier on the day, BJP leader Samrat Choudhary was elected as the party’s legislature leader, while Vijay Sinha was chosen as deputy leader.
The new Bihar Cabinet is expected to include 16 ministers from the BJP and 14 from the JD(U), including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Smaller allies such as LJP(RV), led by union Minister Chirag Paswan, HAM-S, led by Jitan Ram Manjhi, and RLM, led by Upendra Kushwaha, will also receive representation, with LJP(RV) likely to get three berths and HAM-S and RLM one each.
The new Cabinet will reportedly include five to six new faces from the main constituents, BJP and JD(U). Among probable new inductees is Umesh Singh Kushwaha, JD(U) state chief and Mahnar MLA.
Nitish Kumar to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister for 10th term today
