Bihar political crisis: Nitish Kumar to take oath as CM for eighth time today

Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar is all set to take oath as Bihar’s Chief Minister for the eighth time today afternoon. The development comes after Kumar announced a “Grand Alliance” that includes Tejashwi Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and other parties.  Besides Kumar, Tejashwi is also likely to take oath as Deputy Chief Minister. 

Yesterday, Nitish Kumar announced the RJD is going to part ways with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). All JD(U) MLAs and MPs supported Kumar’s decision to quit the NDA. 

Top points to know

1. Nitish Kumar will take oath as Bihar Chief Minister of Bihar for the eighth time. Prior to this Kumar took oath as the CM in March 2000, November 2005, November 2010, February 2015, November 2015, July 2017 and November 2020. 

2. According to a tweet by the RJD, the swearing-in ceremony will be held at Raj Bhavan at 2 pm. 

3. The RJD has the highest number of MLAs and will have 16 ministers whereas the JD(U) will have 13 ministers in the cabinet. 

4. Congress and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) will have four and one minister each. Total 35 MLAs will take oath as ministers eventually. 

5. Tejashwi Yadav attacked the BJP and said the saffron party does not have any alliance partners across the Hindi heartland. Yadav also accused the BJP of trying to destroy parties with whom it forms alliances. 

6. Nitish Kumar submitted his resignation to Governor Phagu Chauhan and a list of 164 MLAs. The Bihar state Assembly has 242 seats and the halfway mark is at 122. 

7. “It was decided at the party meeting that we quit the NDA. I have, therefore, resigned as the NDA’s chief minister,” Kumar said after tendering his resignation as the CM. 

8. Currently, the BJP has 77 seats in the Bihar Assembly. RJD has 77 seats, JD(U) 45, Congress 19 and the Left led by CPIML(L) 16. 

9. JD(U) also has the support of four MLAs belonging to former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM and an independent. 

10. JD(U) is the third major alliance partner to leave the NDA in three years after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Shiv Sena. 

(With inputs from India Today and agencies)