Nitish Kumar is poised to take oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for an unprecedented tenth time, after being unanimously elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday. The decision comes on the heels of the coalition’s sweeping victory in the recent Assembly elections.
Earlier in the day, the JD(U) chief was chosen as the leader of his party’s legislature group during a meeting of newly elected MLAs at his residence, 1 Anne Marg. “Nitish Kumar has been elected as the JD(U) legislature party leader by the newly elected MLAs,” state minister Shrawon Kumar told PTI.
Following the JD(U) meeting, Kumar, accompanied by senior leaders Vijay Chaudhary and Sanjay Jha, attended the NDA legislative party meeting in the Central Hall of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, where he was formally elected as the alliance’s leader.
Kumar is expected to meet Governor Arif Mohammad Khan later in the evening to stake claim to form the new government. He will submit letters of support from all NDA constituents to initiate the formation process.
BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy hailed the moment as historic. “For the first time in the history of Bihar—and perhaps in India and the world—our Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will take oath for the tenth time. Bihar is witnessing a grand occasion that marks the beginning of a new era with new challenges. This will truly be a golden phase for the state,” he said.
Power-Sharing Talks Continue Within NDA
Even as preparations for the November 20 swearing-in ceremony progress, negotiations between the JD(U) and the BJP over key posts—including the two Deputy Chief Minister positions and the Speaker’s chair—are reportedly still ongoing. BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha are likely to continue as Deputy Chief Ministers.
NDA’s Dominant Performance
The NDA returned to power with a commanding 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly. The BJP won 89 seats, JD(U) 85, LJP (RV) 19, HAM-S 5, and RLM 4. The Mahagathbandhan suffered a massive setback, securing fewer than 40 seats; the RJD won 25, while the Congress managed only six out of the 61 seats it contested.
While the JD(U) is expected to retain most of its existing ministers, the BJP is likely to introduce several fresh faces, according to sources. NDA’s smaller partners—Chirag Paswan’s LJP (RV), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM-S, and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM—are also expected to find representation in the new cabinet.
Grand Ceremony Planned at Gandhi Maidan
The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan on November 20. The event is expected to witness the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with top NDA leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Chief Ministers of several NDA-ruled states—including Andhra Pradesh’s N. Chandrababu Naidu, Meghalaya’s Conrad Sangma, and Nagaland’s Neiphiu Rio—are also likely to attend.
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