Days after securing a sweeping victory in the Bihar Assembly elections, the newly elected NDA government is gearing up for its swearing-in ceremony on November 20 at the historic Gandhi Maidan. However, a key question remains unanswered — will JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar take oath as Chief Minister for a record tenth term?

Nitish Kumar resigns ahead of oath-taking ceremony

Nitish Kumar, who has received unanimous backing from NDA allies to lead the government again, chaired his final Cabinet meeting on Monday morning. During the meeting held at 11:30 am, a proposal was passed to dissolve the outgoing Cabinet.

Soon after, Nitish Kumar met Governor Arif Mohammad Khan at Raj Bhavan, informing him that he would formally resign on November 19 and that the current Assembly would be dissolved, paving the way for the formation of a new government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the oath-taking ceremony. During his poll campaign, the Prime Minister had addressed over a dozen rallies in Bihar and had promised to “return for the swearing-in of a new NDA government”.

NDA secures decisive mandate

Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Singh Gunjiyal met the Governor on Sunday with the final list of winning candidates from the recently concluded Assembly elections. The NDA has swept the polls, securing a dominant tally of 202 seats in the 243-member House.

BJP emerged as the largest party with 89 seats, followed closely by JD(U) with 85. Chirag Paswan-led LJP(RV) secured 19 seats, while smaller partners — Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) — bagged nine seats collectively.
In contrast, the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan managed only 35 seats.

JD(U) seeks stronger presence in new Cabinet

JD(U) working president Sanjay Kumar Jha, who met senior BJP leaders in Delhi to discuss government formation, also met Nitish Kumar on Sunday. He assured that details of Cabinet formation would be announced soon, adding that NDA partners remained committed to fulfilling their poll promises.

A senior JD(U) leader said the party expected a greater number of Cabinet berths this time.
“Our strength has increased significantly since 2020, when we had fewer than 50 MLAs. A larger mandate should translate into greater representation,” he said.
However, he admitted that accommodating newer partners like LJP(RV) and RLM would be a challenge.

LJP(RV) hopeful of key role

LJP(RV) president Chirag Paswan said his party was ready to join the new government. When asked if he was eyeing the Deputy Chief Minister’s post, he avoided a direct response.
In the outgoing government, the Deputy CM posts were held by BJP leaders Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha.

Meanwhile, HAM held its legislative party meeting, where Sikandra MLA Prafull Manjhi was elected leader.
“We fully support Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and look forward to serving the people once again,” HAM leader Santosh Kumar Suman said.

Allies hold consultations with BJP

HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi and RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha held separate discussions with Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan — BJP’s election in-charge for Bihar — in Delhi. Vinod Tawde, BJP’s in-charge for Bihar affairs, was also present.

Sources said both allies discussed Cabinet representation and the broad structure of the upcoming government.

RJD grapples with internal turmoil

As the NDA prepares for its grand oath-taking event, the RJD is struggling with a bitter internal feud. Rohini Acharya, daughter of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, has announced her exit from politics, alleging humiliation after the party’s electoral defeat.

She has accused her brother Tejashwi Yadav and his aides — Sanjay Yadav and Rameez — of verbally abusing her and accusing her of “donating a filthy kidney for crores of rupees and a party ticket”. She also alleged that a slipper was raised at her parents’ home in anger.

Acharya said she had the full support of her parents and sisters but squarely blamed Tejashwi and his team for her humiliation.

Tejashwi to review RJD’s major setback

Tejashwi Yadav, who retained the Raghopur seat after a tightly contested battle, will lead a review meeting to assess the reasons behind the party’s poor performance.
RJD’s tally has crashed from 75 seats in 2020 to just 25 this time.

The review meeting is scheduled at his Polo Road residence, where losing candidates will also be present to discuss strategy and introspection.

Conclusion

With the oath-taking ceremony just days away, political activity in Bihar remains intense. While the NDA is focused on finalising Cabinet allocations and projecting a stable government, the opposition RJD is dealing with deepening internal fissures. The spotlight now rests on whether Nitish Kumar will reclaim the Chief Minister’s chair for the tenth time, shaping the next chapter of Bihar’s political landscape