The new government of Bihar will be formally formed today when Nitish Kumar takes the oath of office as Chief Minister once more. He will be sworn in with two deputy chief ministers and a group of eighteen ministers, according to leaders with knowledge of the developments.
According to a BJP leader quoted in a report, the new council of ministers will represent the strength and balance of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar. “The Chief Minister and two Deputy Chief Ministers are among the eighteen ministers who are scheduled to take an oath on Thursday,” the leader said.
Alliance partners currently agree that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] will each probably have six ministers. The final three ministerial seats are expected to be won by the smaller NDA allies Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) [HAM-S], and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) [LJP (RV)].
The swearing-in ceremony in Patna is expected to be attended by high-ranking state and federal officials. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Union ministers, and chief ministers from other NDA-ruled states are likely to attend, underscoring the political significance of the new Bihar government.
Although the final list of ministers has not yet been released, intense discussions have been held to ensure political, caste, and regional balance in the new cabinet. All eyes are now on Raj Bhavan as Bihar prepares for another Nitish Kumar-led NDA government and a new portfolio distribution among key alliance partners.
