Nitish takes oath today, suspense over deputy CM

The ceremony will take place at 4.30pm, Kumar said. ANI
Vijay Swaroop

letters@hindustantimes.com

Patna : Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will be sworn in for a fourth straight term on Monday afternoon after the four constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) approved him for the state’s top job.

“The oath ceremony will take place at 4.30pm on Monday. We will talk and decide who all will take the oath. After the ceremony, the cabinet will decide when the House will convene,” Kumar, who is also the Janata Dal (United) president, said after meeting state governor Phagu Chauhan.

Kumar went to meet the governor at the Raj Bhavan around 2pm and staked claim for the formation of the new government after being unanimously elected the leader of the NDA. “Bihar people have given this opportunity so there is more development. There should be no inadequacy,” he said.

In the wake of the outcome that saw the JD(U)’s seats diminished and the NDA win by a wafer-thin majority, there had been intense speculation over a possible rise in the BJP’s share in the new cabinet and over Kumar’s role in the government. However, the BJP repeatedly maintained that Kumar will remain the CM.

Meanwhile, there is suspense over the deputy chief minister’s post. The BJP on Sunday selected four-time MLA Tarkishore Prasad as its leader of the legislature party in Bihar, sparking speculation that he is the front runner to the post of deputy chief minister. There is buzz that Prasad will take over the reins from outgoing deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who could get a role at the central level. When asked about Sushil Modi, Kumar said that “all things will be settled”