‘Those who won in 2014..’: Tejashwi by his side, Nitish Kumar jabs ex-ally BJP

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, who was once rumoured to be holding prime ministerial ambitions, said he wasn’t in the race and just wanted the opposition to unite for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections

PATNA: Janata Dal United’s Nitish Kumar on Wednesday took oath as Bihar chief minister of the Grand Alliance coalition along with and Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Tejashwi Yadav at a brief ceremony held at Raj Bhawan.

JDU leader Nitish Kumar embraces RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav after they took oath as chief minister and deputy chief minister respectively, in Patna on Wednesday. (ANI)

This is the eighth time Kumar has has been sworn as Bihar chief minister; the first was in March 2000 when he was in power for a mere seven days after being invited to form the government after the state elections that threw up a hung assembly. But Nitish Kumar returned five years later as chief minister in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2005.

Soon after taking oath in the presence of the seven-party Grand Alliance, 32-year-old Tejashwi Yadav touched Nitish Kumar’s feet. Kumar, 71, responded by hugging Tejashwi Yadav, who is expected to be back as his deputy, and delivered a stinging message to the Bharatiya Janata Party. Kumar asked reporters to talk to JDU legislators about the efforts made to break the party, reiterating the JDU charge that the party decided to walk out of its marriage with the BJP because its alliance partner was trying to break the party.

Kumar said he wanted the opposition to unite for the 2024 general elections but underlined that he was not in the race to be the prime minister.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav seeks blessings from Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar after taking oath as deputy chief minister at the oath ceremony at the Raj Bhavan in Patna (PTI)

“Those who came to power in 2014, will they be victorious in 2024?... I would like all (opposition) to be united for 2024… I am not a contender for any such post (on PM post),” he told reporters after the ceremony that was also attended by family members of Lalu Prasad Yadav including former chief minister Rabri Devi and Tejashwi’s wife Rajshree Yadav.

“I will wholeheartedly strengthen the opposition.. now I have also joined the opposition”.

Leaders of Bihar’s new coalition alliance said a second oath ceremony would be held after some days to induct other team members of the Nitish Kumar-led council of ministers.