Nitish Kumar Set to Resign Monday, Clearing Path for New NDA Government in Bihar
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected to submit his resignation on Monday, paving the way for the formation of a new National Democratic Alliance...
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected to submit his resignation on Monday, paving the way for the formation of a new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government after the bloc’s sweeping victory in the state elections. A senior Janata Dal (United) functionary confirmed the development on Saturday, signalling the beginning of another power transition in Patna.
Nitish to Hold Final Cabinet Meeting Before Resignation
According to party insiders, Nitish Kumar will convene the outgoing government’s final cabinet meeting on Monday morning, after which he is scheduled to visit the Raj Bhavan to tender his resignation to the governor.
He will then return to meet the JD(U)’s 85 newly elected MLAs at a legislative party gathering.
A separate meeting of NDA legislators will be held later, though the time and venue are still being finalised. The Bharatiya Janata Party — now the coalition’s largest component with 89 MLAs — is expected to release an official statement on government formation by Sunday or Monday.
Nitish Likely to Be Chosen NDA Leader Once Again
Alliance insiders say NDA lawmakers are expected to elect Nitish Kumar as their leader immediately after the BJP’s formal announcement, positioning him to take the oath as Chief Minister for a record tenth term.
A senior NDA strategist said the swearing-in ceremony would “most likely” take place on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the governor’s schedule and completion of negotiations within the alliance.
Political Activity Intensifies at Nitish’s Residence
Patna witnessed heavy political movement on Saturday as leaders from the BJP, JD(U), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha visited Nitish’s official residence.
Union Minister and LJP(RV) chief Chirag Paswan called on Nitish early in the day to discuss the contours of the new administration. More than two dozen senior alliance leaders — including Union minister Lalan Singh — also met him for consultations.
Portfolio Talks Underway in Delhi and Patna
Top JD(U) leaders Sanjay Kumar Jha and Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan Singh) held a key meeting in New Delhi with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The discussions, according to party sources, centred on portfolio distribution, cabinet size, and the structural framework of the incoming government.
Speaking to reporters, Jha said the election results reaffirmed Bihar’s trust in “good governance” and reflected the public’s continued confidence in Nitish Kumar’s leadership.
Back in Patna, other senior JD(U) figures — including minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary, former minister Shyam Rajak, BJP ministers Nitin Nabin and Krishna Kumar Mantoo, and state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha — joined the day-long deliberations.
After further internal meetings, Jha and Lalan Singh flew back to Delhi to brief Amit Shah on the alliance’s final proposals.
NDA Celebrates Victory; Opposition Marginalised
Parallel discussions were held by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, who met RLM chief Upendra Kushwaha and his four MLAs. Rai described the NDA’s mandate as a “historic victory,” claiming the opposition Mahagathbandhan had been “completely wiped out.”
Alliance partners attributed their performance to a coordinated campaign and an electorate that favoured stability over the fragmented politics of the opposition camp.