Nitish Kumar, chosen leader of JD(U) legislature party at a meeting of newly elected MLAs Wednesday, said Bihar minister Shrawon Kumar, ahead of the formation of the new government under his leadership in the state on November 20.
He is set to take oath as Bihar Chief Minister for a record 10th time at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan on Thursday. Nitish will be the first elected leader of the JD(U) legislature party and then formally chosen as the NDA’s leader during a meeting of the five-party alliance, JD(U) working national president Sanjay Jha said.
Jha said Kumar will be elected JD(U) legislature party leader on Wednesday, after which the newly elected MLAs of all alliance partners will elect him as the NDA leader. Kumar is scheduled to call on Governor Arif Mohammad Khan in the evening to request initiation of the government formation process, party leaders said.
He will also resign as head of the outgoing government and submit letters of support from all NDA constituents to the Governor, they said. The current Assembly will be dissolved on Wednesday.
Several ministers will be sworn in along with Kumar on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, other Union ministers and chief ministers of NDA-ruled states are expected to attend the ceremony. Heavy security has been deployed in Patna, particularly around Gandhi Maidan, officials said.
The NDA returned to power in Bihar with 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly — BJP won 89, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM 5 and RLM 4.
