Nitish Kumar is set to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a record tenth time today, following the NDA’s decisive victory in the recent assembly elections. The oath-taking ceremony will take place at Patna’s iconic Gandhi Maidan starting at 11:30 AM, with anticipated attendance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and various senior NDA leaders. At least 20 ministers are expected to take their oaths alongside Kumar.
On Wednesday, Kumar, who leads the Janata Dal (United), resigned as the outgoing Chief Minister to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan. He was accompanied by Union Minister Chirag Paswan, RLM Chief Upendra Kushwaha, and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya during his resignation.
Kumar, elected as the leader of the NDA legislature party in Bihar, staked his claim to form the next government after a meeting of newly elected MLAs. In the forthcoming cabinet, BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha are expected to serve as Kumar’s deputies, just like in the outgoing administration.
This marks the fourth occasion Kumar will take his oath at Gandhi Maidan since 2005. The last time he assumed office was on January 28, 2024, after his party allied with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
Expected guests at the event also include BJP National President JP Nadda, key NDA ally Chandrababu Naidu, and Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh, among other Chief Ministers from NDA-ruled states. Security measures have been significantly heightened for the event, with over 300,000 attendees anticipated, according to a senior BJP leader.
State BJP Chief Dilip Jaiswal confirmed that the governor accepted Kumar’s resignation and asked him to continue serving as caretaker Chief Minister until a new government is established. Kumar was elected leader of the NDA legislature party after deliberations among senior leaders, with Choudhary named as the BJP legislature party leader.
Negotiations are actively underway among NDA allies to finalize cabinet positions. The new Bihar Cabinet is expected to consist of 16 ministers from the BJP and 14 from JD(U), including Kumar. The total number of ministers taking the oath today could range from 20 to more.
Reportedly, a consensus has emerged among NDA partners to appoint BJP’s Prem Kumar as the Assembly Speaker, with the Deputy Speaker’s position likely assigned to JD(U).
The new cabinet may introduce five to six new faces from the BJP and JD(U). Umesh Singh Kushwaha, JD(U) state chief and recent winner from the Mahnar assembly seat, is likely to be included. The BJP is also expected to propose several new candidates, such as former IPS officer Anand Mishra and others.
Smaller allies, including Chirag Paswan’s LJP(RV), Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM-S, and Upendra Kushwaha’s RLM are anticipated to receive representation in the new cabinet. Reports suggest that LJP(RV) could receive three ministerial positions, with the other two smaller parties getting one position each.
In the outgoing government, the BJP had 15 ministers while JD(U) had 12, including Kumar. The rise in JD(U) MLA numbers following recent elections has led to expectations for increased representation in the new cabinet.
Overall, the NDA coalition secured 202 out of 243 assembly seats, with the BJP taking 89, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM 5, and RLM 4. The developments reflect a significant shift in voter sentiment and political alignment in Bihar.
