Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar CM, says ‘will work together’
During his previous terms, Kumar had taken oath amid large gatherings of dignitaries and common people at Gandhi Maidan.
In the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP chief JP Nadda, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar on Monday took oath as Bihar chief minister for the fourth consecutive term. Apart from Kumar, a host of leaders from the constituent parties of the NDA alliance took oath as cabinet ministers. The deputy CMs — Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi — also took their oath in the ceremony. The presence of Amit Shah was significant as unlike Kumar’s past swearing-in ceremonies, this was a small-scale gathering owing to Covid-19 restrictions.
Santosh Kumar Suman, son of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, Mukesh Sahni of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), JD(U)’s Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Vijendra Prasad Yadav, Ashok Choudhary and Mewa Lal Choudhary were also sworn in.
The swearing-in of Vijay Kumar Choudhary as a cabinet minister indicates that the Speaker post is going to BJP as Choudhary was the Speaker in the last term.
Also Read: Nitish Kumar forms government in Bihar, inducts new Cabinet. Full list of ministers here
Nitish Kumar’s new cabinet
Sushil Kumar Modi who has been Bihar’s for the maximum time since 2005 has not found any place in the new cabinet. According to reports, he might get a Central berth. The ministers who were sworn in on Monday form the interim cabinet. More ministers will be inducted later on.
RJD boycotted Nitish’s swearing-in
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav did not attend the oath-taking ceremony as his party said the election has been rigged. The mandate was “against the NDA”, but has later been changed by a “fraud”. “The RJD boycotts oath-taking ceremony of this puppet government. The mandate is for a change, and against the (ruling) NDA. The peoples verdict has been changed by the rulers order,” the RJD alleged in a tweet.
Swearing-in ceremonies in 2010, 2015
Bihar state assembly election was the first major election to be held amid Covid-19 pandemic. Bearing the brunt of Covid, the swearing-in ceremony has become small-scale this year. During his previous terms, Kumar had taken oath amid large gatherings of dignitaries and common people at Gandhi Maidan.
According to pre-election seat-sharing agreement, the JD (U), which has 43 MLAs, will get a maximum of 14 ministerial berths. BJP which has won 74 seats will get 20 posts in the cabinet. Both HAM (S) and VIP will have to settle for one ministerial berth each.
Here are the latest updates of Nitish Kumar swearing-in 2020
> The newly formed Bihar cabinet will hold a meeting tomorrow. A special session of the state legislative assembly to be held on November 23.
> The new government in Bihar will be pro-farmer, said BJP chief JP Nadda
> Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Nitish Kumar after his swearing in.
> Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Mangal Pandey and Amarendra Pratap Singh take oath as Bihar cabinet ministers.
> Santosh Kumar Suman, son of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Mukesh Sahni of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) take oath.
> JDU leaders Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Vijendra Prasad Yadav, Ashok Choudhary, and Mewa Lal Choudhary take oath as cabinet ministers of Bihar.
> Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi take oath as the Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar.
> Nitish Kumar takes oath as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the seventh time - his fourth consecutive term.
