Nitish Kumar to take oath for record 10th term as Bihar CM on Nov 20

JD(U) veteran Nitish Kumar on November 19 was unanimously elected leader of the party’s legislature wing, setting the stage for the formation of a new NDA government in Bihar on November 20.

Kumar, who resigned earlier in the day as head of the outgoing government, is slated to return to power for an unprecedented 10th term. The swearing-in will take place on November 20 at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan, where several ministers from alliance parties will also take oath.

JD(U) working national president Sanjay Jha said Kumar will first be formally elected JD(U) legislature party leader, before newly elected MLAs of all five NDA constituents select him as the alliance’s chief ministerial nominee.

Kumar is expected to meet Governor Arif Mohammad Khan November 19 evening to submit letters of support and request initiation of government formation. The current Assembly will be dissolved the same day.

Heavy security arrangements have been put in place across Patna, especially around the venue, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and several NDA chief ministers expected to attend the ceremony.

The NDA secured 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly — BJP 89, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM 5 and RLM 4 — paving the way for another term of its coalition government in Bihar.