Patna: Nitish Kumar is all set to take oath as the chief minister of Bihar in Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on November 20 after the auspicious Chhath Puja. The decision was taken after legislators of Grand Secular Alliance unanimously elected him as their leader on Saturday in a meeting in Patna.
Nitish Kumar after being elected as legislative party chief and recommending dissolution of the state Assembly staked claim to form the government in Bihar. After his meeting with state governor Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday he said, “governor has invited me to form the government, I will take oath on November 20.”
Earlier on Saturday Nitish Kumar had submitted his resignation to the governor after the cabinet decided to recommend the dissolution of the outgoing assembly. Party leaders said, “the governor accepted the resignation but requested him to continue as caretaker Chief Minister till he forms a new government.”
According to JD (U) state president Basisth Narayan Singh the election of Nitish Kumar as JD(U) legislative party leader paved way for his selection as legislative party chief of the Grand Secular Alliance. Nitish Kumar is likely to take oath with 36 ministers as the Grand Secular Alliance had won 178 out of 243 seats.
According to sources RJD has submitted a list of 16 ministers while JD(U) being a second largest party has prepared a list of 15 ministers and Congress is likely to get five ministerial berths. There is still suspense in Grand Alliance as to who Nitish Kumar will appoint as his deputy as there is confusion within RJD on the issue of their legislative party leader.
According to RJD leaders “Lalu Yadav has been authorised to take decision on the issue and he will soon announce the name of RJD’s legislative party leader”. Sources say Lalu Yadav and former chief minister Rabri Devi is facing difficulty in persuading their eldest son Tej Pratap. Party leaders had proposed the name of their younger son Tejaswi Yadav as the legislative party leader as he is “more politically active”.
With absolutely no hurdles in forming a government in Bihar, Nitish Kumar is now focusing and asserting more on “good governance” and “imposing strict rule of law in the state”. Kumar said “we will not compromise on the issue law and order.
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