In a swift post-election maneuver, Bihar’s ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is poised to install its new administration on November 20, with the grand swearing-in ceremony slated for the iconic Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Uncertainty lingers over whether Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar will assume the Chief Minister’s role for an unprecedented tenth occasion, capping a dramatic resurgence following the coalition’s dominant performance in the recent Assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to grace the event, honoring a pledge he made during more than a dozen campaign rallies to return for the NDA’s installation. This comes mere days after the alliance secured a resounding mandate, clinching 202 of the 243 seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led the charge with 89 victories, closely trailed by JD(U)’s 85. Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) (LJP(RV)) claimed 19, while smaller allies Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) added nine more. In stark contrast, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-led Mahagathbandhan scraped together just 35 seats.
Clearing the path for this transition, Kumar convened his final Cabinet session at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, where members endorsed a proposal to disband the current executive. He is set to tender his resignation to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan shortly thereafter. A key resolution will empower Kumar to approach the Governor at Raj Bhavan, advocating for the dissolution of the outgoing Assembly, according to a high-ranking JD(U) official.
This procedural step follows a courtesy visit on Sunday by Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal to the Governor, delivering the roster of newly elected legislators. JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, fresh from consultations with senior BJP figures in Delhi, reunited with Kumar that evening. Addressing the media, Jha affirmed the alliance’s resolve: “In a few days, the new government will be formed. You will get to know the details in due course. We are committed to fulfilling all the promises that we have made in the NDA’s manifesto.”
Behind closed doors, JD(U) is pushing for expanded Cabinet influence, up from the 12 berths it held previously. “We want more berths in the cabinet because our tally has risen sharply since 2020, when we had fewer than 50 MLAs,” confided a party insider, who noted the complexities of balancing claims from newcomers like LJP(RV) and RLM.
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Paswan, meanwhile, confirmed LJP(RV)’s eagerness to participate but sidestepped queries about coveting a Deputy Chief Minister slot—currently occupied by BJP’s Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha. HAM convened its legislative group, appointing Sikandra MLA Prafull Manjhi as leader; MLC Santosh Kumar Suman reiterated unwavering backing for Kumar, vowing renewed service to Bihar’s populace.
HAM’s Jitan Ram Manjhi and RLM’s Upendra Kushwaha separately engaged BJP’s Bihar election overseer, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, at his Delhi home on Sunday. BJP affairs in-charge Vinod Tawde joined these talks, which sources say centered on Cabinet allocations amid the formation process.
As the NDA consolidates, the opposition RJD grapples with turmoil. Lalu Yadav’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, has exited politics amid acrimonious family clashes, accusing brother Tejashwi Yadav and aides like Sanjay Yadav and Rameez of verbal abuse—including slurs over her kidney donation to their father—and threats of physical confrontation. Despite claiming parental and sibling solidarity, Acharya decried the post-defeat vitriol.
Tejashwi, who clung to his Raghopur bastion in a nail-biter, plans a 2 p.m. legislature party huddle at his Patna residence to dissect the RJD’s slump—from 75 seats in 2020 to 25 now. Defeated contenders are also summoned.
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