Nitish Kumar Stakes Claim, Oath Ceremony Tomorrow

• Nitish Kumar stakes claim after NDA’s emphatic win
• 22 ministers to be inducted, including 9 from BJP
• JD(U) emerges as senior partner with 85 seats
• Ceremony to showcase united NDA leadership

GG News Bureau
Patna, 19th Nov: Bihar’s Chief Minister-designate Nitish Kumar met Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Wednesday to stake claim to form the new government, days after the NDA secured a sweeping majority in the Assembly elections. He will be sworn in for a record 10th term at 1:30 pm on Thursday in Patna.

The event will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, signalling a show of unity and strength within the NDA.

A total of 22 ministers are expected to take oath, including nine MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Outgoing deputy chief ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Sinha, along with former deputy CM Renu Devi, are likely to return to the cabinet.

The new Council of Ministers is also expected to include one representative each from Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustan Awami Morcha, and Upendra Kushwaha’s Rashtriya Lok Morcha.

JD(U), having reclaimed its role as the “big brother” in the alliance with 85 seats — a sharp jump from 2015 — is set to secure 10 ministerial berths.

Having already become the eighth longest-serving Chief Minister in India, Nitish Kumar is now poised to surpass Pawan Chamling’s all-time record if he completes the upcoming tenure.

The NDA clinched 202 of 243 seats, decimating the opposition Mahagathbandhan, which finished with just 35. Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj, making its electoral debut, failed to win a single seat but vowed to continue its political pursuit.