PATNA: (Nov 20) JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar is set to take oath as the chief minister of Bihar for a record 10th time at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan on Thursday.
Along with him, 19 ministers are expected to take oath.
The swearing-in ceremony will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J P Nadda and several other top leaders of NDA. The event will also be attended by chief ministers of several NDA ruled states.
Shah and Nadda have already arrived in the state capital.
Kumar resigned as the Bihar CM on Wednesday and then staked claim before Governor Arif Mohammed Khan to form the new government.
Apart from the Cabinet berths for the main NDA constituents, the BJP and JD(U), the other partners of the alliance are also likely to get one ministerial post for every six MLAs to ensure a balanced representation.
One ministerial berth each will likely go to the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) or HAM(S), three to Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and the remaining will be divided between the BJP and the JD(U).
According to sources, eight MLAs each from BJP and JD (U) will take oath today….and one each from the Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) or HAM(S), and Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will also take oath today.
Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place, and over three lakh people are anticipated at the event, a senior official said.
Sources said the new Cabinet will be expanded after Makar Sankranti on January 14 next year. (PTI)
