Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday met Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and recommended that the current state Assembly be dissolved with effect from November 19. The same day, Kumar will also tender his resignation to the Governor and hand over the letter of support from all NDA allies to form the next government. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on November 20.
Earlier in the day, Kumar held a cabinet meeting following which one of his close aides and cabinet colleague said: “The cabinet has decided that the CM should recommend dissolution of the present Assembly to the Governor. The cabinet also congratulated the CM for the massive mandate.”
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NDA sources said that around 20 ministers were likely to take oath with the CM: around 6-7 ministers each from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the JD (U), two from the LJP (RV) and one each from the Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).
Sources said Santosh Kumar Suman of HAM (S), the son of Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, and RLM’s Snehlata, wife of party chief Upendra Kushwaha, are likely to become ministers.
The JD (U) and the BJP are scheduled to hold their separate meetings on Tuesday. On Wednesday, NDA allies will meet to choose their leader. “There is unanimity in the NDA on going with the leadership of Nitish Kumar again. Still, it will be part of the standard process to choose him as the NDA leader on Tuesday,” said a leader of the alliance.
Newly elected RJD MLAs, meanwhile, met under the leadership of Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in Patna on Monday. Tejashwi was elected RJD legislature party leader in the meeting, which, in effect, means he will continue as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly.
RJD supremo Lalu Prasad endorsed Tejashwi’s candidature as the LoP. An RJD leader said: “Though there have been talks about reviewing the party’s dismal show, all MLAs expressed solidarity with Tejashwi.”
