Nitish resigns, House dissolved; NDA MLAs to meet on Nov 15

Kumar, whose name has been endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be formally elected as the leader of the NDA legislature party.

The process of formation of a new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar started Friday when chief minister Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation to Governor Phagu Chauhan after the outgoing cabinet recommended immediate dissolution of the Assembly.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar presents his resignation letter to Governor Fagu Chauhan as part of a formal procedure for the formation of the next government, in Patna, Friday. (PTI Photo)

Earlier in the day, the first informal meeting of NDA leaders, held at Kumar’s residence, decided to hold a meeting of all newly-elected legislators of all four constituents of the alliance on Sunday, November 15.

Kumar, whose name has been endorsed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be formally elected as the leader of the NDA legislature party.

Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, Kumar said Friday’s was an informal interaction. “We sat together and decided to convene a meeting of all legislators of all the four partners on November 15 at 12.30 pm. All decisions, including date of the swearing-in ceremony, will be taken in that meeting. After the meeting and election of NDA leader, we will stake claim for formation of the government,” he said.

“The assembly has to be dissolved first. Theses formalities have to be completed before the formation of a new government,. The cabinet’s recommendations will be forwarded to the governor whose approval will be followed by other steps leading to the formation of a new government,” Kumar added.

A top NDA leader said representation of each constituent in the cabinet and election of the new Assembly Speaker was also discussed in the informal meeting.

The NDA, which consists of BJP, JD(U), former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM-S and Mukesh Sahani’s VIP, has won 125 seats in the 243-member Assembly, of which BJP alone has won 74 seats. JD (U), which won 71 seats in 2015, has won mere 43 seats this time. HAM-S and VIP have won four seats each.

According to PTI, the NDA got a shot in the arm on Friday when Independent legislator from Chakai, Sumit Singh, met Nitish Kumar and pledged support. Singh is the son of Narendra Singh, a former state minister and powerful Rajput leader from Jamui district.

Meanwhile, BJP has convened its legislature party meeting on Monday to elect its leader in Assembly. Party sources said the meeting will also endorse the name of Nitish kumar for the post of CM.