Nitish Kumar is set to take the oath as Bihar’s Chief Minister for a record tenth time today, marking a significant milestone after the NDA’s sweeping victory in the recent assembly elections. The grand swearing-in ceremony will take place at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan.
The event will be attended by a constellation of national leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Chief ministers from key NDA states, such as Chandrababu Naidu (Andhra Pradesh), Eknath Shinde (Maharashtra), and Mohan Charan Majhi (Odisha), are also expected to be present, underscoring the alliance’s strength.
NDA’s Decisive Victory in Bihar
The 74-year-old Nitish Kumar has once again showcased his political resilience, leading the JDU and the NDA alliance to their second-best electoral performance in Bihar. This success serves to strengthen his position within the political landscape. Following the election results, Kumar was formally chosen as the leader of the NDA legislature party in a meeting attended by MLAs from the BJP, JDU, LJP(RV), HAM(S), and RLM. The coalition then approached Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to stake its claim to power.
Cabinet Lineup Anticipated
Speculation is rife regarding the composition of the new cabinet, particularly concerning the deputy chief minister appointments. Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, the outgoing deputy CMs, have been elected as the leader and deputy leader of the BJP legislature party, making their continuation in these roles highly probable. Mangal Pandey is another prominent BJP leader being considered for a deputy chief minister role.
Media reports suggest that many of the outgoing ministers are likely to be retained. The BJP is expected to nominate Nitin Nabin, Mangal Pandey, Nitish Mishra, and Sanjay Saraogi for ministerial positions. The JD(U) is anticipated to retain Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, Lacy Singh, and Shravan Kumar. Representatives from the three smaller coalition parties are also set to receive cabinet portfolios.