Bihar: NDA MLAs to meet today to pick neta, Nitish Kumar poised for 10th term

PATNA: NDA legislators will meet Tuesday in Patna to elect their legislature party chief, a formality widely expected to clear Nitish Kumar's path to take oath as Bihar CM for a record 10th time on Nov 20.

The current assembly will stand dissolved on Nov 19, setting the administrative stage for a new govt.NDA secured 202 seats in the 243-member state assembly in this month's elections: BJ, JDU 85, LJP (Ram Vilas) 19, HAM(S) 5, and RLM 4. Before sitting with allies, BJP lawmakers will gather separately to elect their leader, party state president Dilip Jaiswal said Monday.Earlier in the day, the outgoing NDA govt held its final cabinet meeting, authorising Nitish Kumar to recommend dissolution of the assembly.

He then met governor Arif Mohammed Khan to convey the resolution - a procedural requirement before the new cabinet's formation.Negotiations among allies over ministerial portfolios intensified through the day. The swearing-in ceremony, planned at Patna's historic Gandhi Maidan - currently closed to the public for preparations - is expected to featurebe a blend of experienced hands and new faces from BJP and JDU.

JDU expects a larger share in the new cabinet after its electoral showing. Senior pParty functionaries Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Ashok Choudhary, and Shrawan Kumar are seen as frontrunners for ministerial roles. JDU state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha is among those likely to be inducted.BJP is likely to retain key figures such as deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and minister Prem Kumar, who secured a historic ninth consecutive win in Gaya, while weighing a few new names.Other allies - Union minister Chirag Paswan's LJP (RV), Jitan Ram Manjhi's HAM(S), and Upendra Kushwaha's RLM - are set to secure representation as well. A large turnout of national politicians is expected for the swearing-in, including Modi and Union minister Amit Shah, and senior NDA members are slated to attend. Patna district administration has put in place tight security to ensure smooth conduct of the ceremony.