Patna: JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record tenth term on Thursday during a grand ceremony at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan. With this, Kumar further strengthened his position as one of the longest-serving leaders in the state’s political history.
Senior BJP leader Samrat Choudhary, regarded as the party’s prominent OBC face, also took oath as a minister. Choudhary, who won the assembly election from Tarapur, had earlier served as deputy chief minister in the previous NDA government. BJP leaders Dilip Jaiswal and Mangal Pandey were among the others inducted into the new Cabinet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, and several NDA chief ministers attended the ceremony, marking a strong show of unity within the alliance. Nitish Kumar had resigned from the CM post on Wednesday and subsequently met Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to stake claim to form the new government.
According to sources, both JD(U) and BJP are expected to secure eight ministerial berths each in the initial formation. Other NDA allies are likely to receive one ministerial position for every six MLAs, ensuring a balanced share across the coalition. Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is likely to get three berths, while the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) may receive one each.
Names from JD(U) expected to join the Cabinet include Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Vijay Choudhary, Shrawan Kumar, Lesi Singh, Mohammad Zama Khan, Sunil Kumar and Ashok Choudhary. From the BJP, leaders like Vijay Kumar Sinha and Renu Devi are also likely to be inducted.
A three-day session of the new Assembly will begin on November 26, during which newly elected members will take oath and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker will be chosen. BJP’s Prem Kumar is reportedly the frontrunner for the post of Speaker. A larger Cabinet expansion is expected after Makar Sankranti on January 14.
Authorities have deployed heavy security across Patna, anticipating a crowd of over three lakh people at the swearing-in ceremony. The NDA returned to power with a strong majority, securing 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly. The BJP won 89 seats, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM(S) 5 and RLM 4.
