While there seems to be little doubt over Nitish Kumar returning as Bihar chief minister for the 10th time, what remains a suspense is the key position of House speaker, which was held by BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav in the outgoing government.
The fresh NDA government is set to be sworn in in a grand oath-taking ceremony at the historic Gandhi Maidan of Patna on Thursday, November 20.
Janata Dal (United) leaders have said that Nitish Kumar will again be the head of the new government, however, an official confirmation on the CM name is expected by Wednesday evening, after key NDA allies JD(U) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hold party meetings.
The BJP and the JD(U) have reportedly been negotiating for key portfolios and the position of speaker ahead of their respective legislature party meetings.
Frontrunners for Bihar assembly speaker post
The post of speaker is coveted by both sides, an earlier HT report quoted an alliance leader as saying, adding that broader issues have already been settled…” the functionary quoted above said.
Among the frontrunners for the position are the BJP’s Prem Kumar and JD(U)’s Vijay Chowdhary, the report mentioned.
{{/usCountry}}Among the frontrunners for the position are the BJP’s Prem Kumar and JD(U)’s Vijay Chowdhary, the report mentioned.
{{/usCountry}}JD(U)'s Narendra Narayan Yadav, who served as the deputy speaker, in the outgoing assembly, is also among those in race for the coveted post, an Indian Express report said.
In the outgoing assembly, BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav served as speaker, while JD(U)’s Narendra Narayan Yadav held the position of deputy speaker.
The JD(U) wants that if the BJP takes the speaker’s post, then only one deputy CM be appointed, and is against two deputy CMs in Bihar, the HT report had quoted an NDA leader as saying.
The outgoing administration had two deputy chief ministers - BJP's Samrat Choudhury, a leader from the backward classes, and BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha, a Bhumihar - both of whom have been re-elected in the recently concluded Bihar polls.