JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar will take oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a record 10th time today, marking a major political moment for the NDA following its sweeping victory in the assembly elections. Preparations at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan are in their final stages, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and several senior NDA leaders scheduled to attend. Elaborate security arrangements have been made, and nearly three lakh people are expected at the venue, according to BJP leaders.
The oath ceremony follows Nitish Kumar’s resignation submitted to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, after which he was asked to continue as caretaker Chief Minister until the new government is formed. In the NDA legislature party meeting, Kumar was unanimously elected leader, while the BJP chose Samrat Choudhary as its legislature party leader and Vijay Kumar Sinha as deputy leader. Senior leaders including Chirag Paswan, Upendra Kushwaha, and Keshav Prasad Maurya were present as observers during the leadership selection process.
Intense negotiations among NDA allies continued ahead of the Cabinet formation, with the new government expected to include 16 BJP ministers and 14 from the JD(U), besides other alliance partners. Sources indicate that BJP’s Prem Kumar may be appointed Speaker, while the Deputy Speaker post may go to JD(U). Smaller allies such as LJP(RV), HAM-S, and RLM are set to receive cabinet representation, with LJP(RV) likely to get three berths. JD(U) is expected to retain most of its ministers while adding new faces, including Umesh Singh Kushwaha and others.
The NDA’s strong mandate—winning 202 out of 243 seats—has reinforced its political standing, with BJP securing 89 seats and JD(U) 85. As Cabinet lists are finalised, senior leaders like Samrat Choudhary, Mangal Pandey, Vijay Kumar Sinha, and Renu Devi are likely to be retained, while potential new BJP entrants include Anand Mishra and Gayatri Devi. Amid the political developments, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor admitted that his decision not to contest the elections was a “mistake,” vowing to continue his political push in Bihar despite his party receiving less than 4% of the vote.
