Nitish Kumar set for tenth term as Bihar Chief Minister

The stage is set for a historic moment in Bihar politics as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) prepares to form the new state government. On Wednesday, the Janata Dal (United) officially elected party chief Nitish Kumar as the leader of its legislature party. This crucial decision was made during a gathering of newly elected MLAs in Patna, paving the way for his return to the top office.

Following the JD(U) meeting, the focus has shifted to a broader meeting of all NDA coalition partners. It is widely anticipated that Nitish Kumar will be formally endorsed as the leader of the alliance, solidifying his claim to leadership. Reports confirm that the swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, November 20, at the iconic Gandhi Maidan in Patna. This will mark a record-breaking 10th term for Nitish Kumar as Bihar CM.

In a parallel development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also solidified its internal leadership structure within the assembly. The party has appointed Samrat Choudhary as the leader of the BJP legislature party, while Vijay Kumar Sinha has been named the deputy leader. These appointments signal the BJP's readiness to play a pivotal role in the incoming administration.

Procedurally, Nitish Kumar is expected to meet Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Wednesday evening. During this meeting, he will formally resign as the head of the outgoing government and submit letters of support from all NDA constituents to initiate the formation of the new government. The current assembly is also set to be dissolved to facilitate the transition.

The recent assembly elections saw the NDA achieve a massive victory, securing a commanding total of 202 seats in the 243-member house. The breakdown of the mandate shows the BJP winning 89 seats and the JD(U) securing 85. Allies also performed well, with the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) taking 19 seats, the Hindustani Awam Morcha winning 5, and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha securing 4.

On the opposition front, the numbers were significantly lower. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) managed to win 25 seats, while the Indian National Congress secured six. Other parties, including AIMIM and the Left parties, secured minor victories, with AIMIM taking five seats and the CPI(ML)(L) winning two.

With the numbers clearly in favor of the NDA, all eyes are now on Gandhi Maidan for the upcoming oath-taking ceremony.