Nitish Kumar to take oath as Bihar CM for record 10th time on Nov 20, BJP appoints observers: Top points

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held on Thursday (November 20) at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna.

Days after the sweeping performance of the BJP-JD(U)-led NDA in the Bihar assembly elections, Nitish Kumar is expected to take oath as chief minister on Thursday (November 20). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with several chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of NDA-ruling states, will participate in the ceremony.

The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held on November 20. (PTI)

Nitish Kumar is likely to be elected as legislature party leader on November 19, a day before taking oath as Bihar CM at a programme at Gandhi Maidan in Patna, news agency PTI quoted JD(U) sources as saying.

On Monday, Nitish Kumar met Governor Arif Mohammad Khan in Patna to recommend the dissolution of the current legislative assembly and begin the transition process for the new administration.

Bihar government swearing-in ceremony: Top points

1. The BJP on Tuesday appointed Keshav Prasad Maurya, the deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, as the central observer for the election of the leader of the party’s legislative group. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti have been appointed as central co-observers.
2. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held on Thursday (November 20) at the Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
3. Nitish Kumar is likely to resign as the current chief minister of Bihar on Wednesday (November 19), dissolving the current legislative assembly a day before the swearing-in ceremony, according to an earlier HT report that quoted JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Chowdhary as saying.
4. Preparations are already in full swing at the Gandhi Maidan for the swearing-in ceremony of the new government. JD(U) party sources told PTI that Nitish Kumar is expected to be elected as the legislature party leader on Wednesday, a day before the oath ceremony.
5. The NDA is considering allocating roughly one ministerial post for every six MLAs in order to ensure balanced representation within the alliance. The coalition government would include members from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United) or JD(U), Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) or HAM(S), HT reported earlier.
6. According to a senior BJP leader, one ministerial slot is likely to be given to the RLM and HAM(S) each, three for the LJP(RV), while the remaining 30-31 slots would be divided between the BJP and JD(U). The BJP leader added that adjustments are possible and changes to the two deputy chief minister posts could also happen.
7. A senior JD(U) leader told HT that the post of the Speaker of the Bihar assembly is expected to go to the BJP.
8. Meanwhile, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has already been elected as the leader of the opposition (LOP) for the Bihar legislative assembly. The Raghopur MLA will serve as the LOP for a second time after suffering a massive defeat to the NDA in the recently concluded elections.
9. The NDA secured a landslide victory in the assembly polls, winning a total of 202 seats out of 243, and the BJP itself emerged as the single largest party after it won 89 seats. JD(U), meanwhile, won 85 seats, LJP(RV) won 19 seats, HAM(S) won 5 seats, and RLM won 4 seats.
10. In the Mahagathbandhan alliance, RJD won only 25 seats, reducing its seat tally and losing the title of the single largest party in the assembly. Apart from RJD, Congress won 6 seats, CPI(ML)(L) won 2 seats, and CPI(M) won 1 seat.