PATNA: In a moment that highlights both continuity and political longevity, JD(U) president
Nitish Kumar will take oath as Bihar chief minister for the 10th time on Thursday, Nov 20, a senior party leader told TOI on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new NDA govt. At least one deputy CM is also likely to be appointed.
“The swearing-in ceremony will be organised at the sprawling Gandhi Maidan. Many top NDA leaders, including Union home minister Amit Shah, other central ministers Rajnath Singh, Dharmendra Pradhan, Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, and the chief ministers of other NDA-ruled states, will attend the grand event,” a senior BJP leader said.
Also read | Bihar polls: All eyes on formation of govt in state State administration officials on Sunday began preparations to turn the Gandhi Maidan event into a major public spectacle.
“The Gandhi Maidan will remain closed to the general public from Nov 17 to 20. There will be a complete ban on the entry of common people into the Gandhi Maidan during this period,” the Patna district administration said in a notice issued on Sunday.
“The Maidan has been closed for four days to make preparations for the upcoming swearing-in ceremony of the new govt,” a senior official said.
Bihar: LJP(RV) is likely to get three berths
Sources said the formula for distributing cabinet berths among allies has been finalised. Along with JD(U) and BJP, the smaller allies – Chirag Paswan-led LJP (RV), Manjhi-led HAM-S and Upendra Kushwaha-led RLM – will also join the govt.
“The LJP (RV) is likely to get three berths in the new state cabinet while the HAM-S and RLM one berth each. A maximum of 16 ministers from the BJP and 14 ministers and the chief minister from JD(U) will take oath on Thursday,” a senior BJP leader said.
Also read | Bihar results: RJD got more votes than BJP, JD(U) but fewer seats; here's why it happenedAccording to a notification issued by the cabinet secretariat department on Sunday, the last cabinet meeting of the outgoing govt will be held at 11.30am on Monday.
“The cabinet meeting, to be chaired by Nitish, would pass a resolution to make a recommendation to the governor for dissolving the current assembly. From the cabinet meeting, the CM and other senior ministers of the outgoing govt would drive to the Raj Bhavan, where Nitish would submit his resignation and urge the governor to dissolve the assembly,” sources in the NDA said.
After submitting his resignation, Nitish will attend a meeting of the newly-elected JD(U) legislators, where he will be formally elected leader of the JD(U) legislators’ party.
A senior BJP leader said the saffron party has called a meeting of its newly elected legislators in Patna on Tues. This will be followed by a combined meeting of the NDA legislators’ party. Nitish will then be formally elected as leader of the NDA legislators’ party in the presence of senior BJP leaders. After that, Nitish, accompanied by leaders of all five NDA allies, will go to the Raj Bhawan to stake claim to form the new govt, a senior BJP leader said.
The state’s chief electoral officer, Vinod Singh Gunjiyal, on Sunday handed over the list of 243 newly elected members of the state assembly to governor Arif Mohammed Khan at the Raj Bhavan, marking the completion of the electoral process. Later in the evening, the Election Commission lifted the model code of conduct from across the state.
Earlier in the day, activity continued at Nitish’s official residence for the second consecutive day. Union minister of state for home affairs Nityanand Rai, outgoing deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha and former Union minister and RLM president Upendra Kushwaha met Nitish and discussed issues related to govt formation.
Kushwaha’s wife Snehlata, who won from the Sasaram seat, is likely to get a berth in the new cabinet. Hours after meeting Nitish, Kushwaha and Vijay Sinha left for Delhi to meet senior BJP leaders.
On Sunday night, Manjhi and Kushwaha met Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi to discuss matters related to the formation of the new govt.
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