Nitish Kumar Swears-in As CM Of Bihar For 7th Time

With the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) being declared the winner having crossed the half-way mark in the Bihar Assembly elections, its main ally Janata Dal-United chief Nitish Kumar took oath as the Bihar chief minister on Monday evening. This is the fourth time that JD(U) was voted to power in the state and 7th time that Nitish Kumar assumed power as the CM of the state.

Over 14 other leaders of the NDA – seven from the BJP, four from the JD(U) and one each from the HAM and the VIP – took oath as ministers in the new Bihar Cabinet.

The NDA won 125 seats — three more than the halfway mark of 122 in Bihar Assembly. Of the total 125 seats, the BJP won 74 seats and JD(U) registered victory in 43 seats.

The results were declared on November 10 after counting of votes that went past midnight. The counting process was delayed as the Election Commission had put in place strict Covid-19 protocol for the conduct of polls and at all counting centres.

After 15 years of anti-incumbency, Nitish Kumar returned to power in the wake of a strong campaign by the BJP.

Along with Nitish Kumar, BJP leaders Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi also took oath and they are expected to serve as his deputies. Nitish Kumar’s long-time deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi of the BJP is unlikely to take the oath of office on Wednesday.

There is talk that the BJP has plans to elevate Sushil Modi to some role at the central level.

Nitish’s oath-taking ceremony was attended by BJP top leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda. The opposition RJD, which emerged as the single largest party in the Bihar elections, and the Congress boycotted the ceremony, claiming the mandate in the elections was “against the NDA” and that it had been changed by “fraud”.

After assuming power as the CM, Nitish Kumar said that the NDA government in the state “will work together and serve the people”.

Congratulating Nitish Kumar, PM Modi tweeted that the “NDA family will work together for the progress of Bihar” and that the Centre would lend “possible support for the welfare of Bihar”. BJP president J.P. Nadda, who was present at the swearing-in, also tweeted, saying, “Congrats to @NitishKumar Ji and all newly sworn-in ministers. I am sure that under the guidance of PM @narendramodi Ji, NDA will give pro-farmer, women, youth and development-oriented govt in the state. I assure people of Bihar that NDA is committed to fulfil their aspirations.”

Reactions also came in from Nitish Kumar’s ‘rivals’ with Chirag Paswan saying that he hopes the JD(U) leader will “continue to remain the NDA’s CM”. “I congratulate you on becoming the chief minister and the BJP for making you one,” Paswan, a bitter critic of Nitish, said in a series of tweets.

Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav said, “Good wishes to honourable Mr Nitish Kumar on being ‘nominated’ as chief minister.” He used the word ‘nominated’ as an insulting remark. Yadav’s RJD has been alleging that the counting process was compromised under pressure by Nitish and that the mandate of the election was against the JD(U).