Bihar Govt Formation LIVE UPDATES: Nitish Kumar Takes Oath For The 7th Time As Bihar Chief Minister, PM Modi Congratulates Cabinet Ministers

Bihar Government Formation LIVE UPDATES: Nitish Kumar takes oath as the Bihar Chief Minister along with 14 ministers from NDA parties. Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi from Bhartiya Janata Party took oath as the Deputy Chief Ministers of Bihar. Seven ministers from Bharatiya Janata Party and six the Janata Dal-United one each from the Sahani's VIP and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha took oath as Bihar Cabinet Minister. Keep refreshing this page to get all LIVE UPDATES of Bihar government formation:

Background

Bihar Govt Formation LIVE UPDATES: A day after being unanimously elected as the leader of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar, Janata Dal United (JDU) president Nitish Kumar is all set to take oath as the Chief Minister of the state for a record fourth consecutive term. ALSO READ | After AIMIM's Success In Bihar, Does Mamata Banerjee Need To Fear Owaisi? Know If The Party Can Dent Vote Share

Kumar's name was announced at 1, Anney Marg in Patna, the Chief Ministers official residence, by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who had been sent from Delhi as the "observer" for the BJP, which has returned with the highest number of seats in the NDA in the assembly elections.

Kumar, who met Bihar Governor Phagu Chauhan along BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal to stake claim for the formation of a new government, has informed that the swearing in ceremony would take place today between 4 and 4.30 pm.

Around 16 ministers are expected to be sworn-in along with Chief Minister-designate Nitish Kumar in the oath-taking ceremony on Monday, but it was not clear yet if Sushil Kumar Modi will return as Deputy Chief Minister.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president Amit Shah is most likely to attended the swearing-in ceremony. Other leaders of BJP and JDU will also grace the event.

While speaking to reporters after his meeting with the Governor, Kumar curtly said that it will be decided in due course as to who all will take oath as members of his new state cabinet.

According to sources, there will be seven ministers each from the Janata Dal-United and the Bharatiya Janata Party, and one each from the Sahani's VIP and Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular.

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On Friday, all four alliance partners of NDA in Bihar — BJP, JDU, HAM and VIP — met Nitish Kumar at his residence in Patna for an informal meeting to discuss the future course of action regarding government formation in Bihar.

After the Chief Minister's dilemma being resolved and the post went to Nitish Kumar, all eyes are now are now on who the next deputy Chief Minister be. There has been some speculation whether Sushil Kumar Modi will continue as deputy CM or if the BJP will select a new face.

The suspense intensified after Sushil Kumar Modi had his designation as Deputy CM dropped from his Twitter handle and BJP named Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi as the leaders of legislative party.

The two names kept doing the rounds for the Deputy CMs post though no official confirmation came till late in the evening.

The proposed replacement of Sushil Kumar Modi called "Chhota Modi" in the political circles of Bihar, a jocular reference to the surname he shares with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being viewed as a precursor to the BJPs ambitious plans of aggressively expanding its own base in Bihar, where it has played second fiddle to the JD(U) boss so far.

ALSO READ | Tarkishore Prasad, Renu Devi Elected Leaders Of BJP Legislature Party; Likely To Replace Sushil Modi As Bihar Deputy CMs

Kumar is also understood to have tactically remarked at the NDA meeting that he was in favour of "a BJP CM", but was agreeing to take up the job again "because of the insistence" of the saffron party.

The BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had been emphatically stating that Kumar will be retained as CM even if his JDU's strength in were to shrink in the assembly polls.

There have also been speculations that the BJP, which has 74 MLAs against only 43 of JD(U), was likely to insist on having a greater share in the council of ministers and have one of its members as the Speaker, a post which has been with the Kumar's party ever since he took over a decade and a half ago.

18:46 PM (IST)  •  16 Nov 2020

Devendra Fadnavis spoke to ABP News about the Deputy CM position and Sushil Modi. Fadnavis said that Sushil Modi will be assigned a new and bigger responsibility.
Earlier, Sushil Modi tweeted that no one can take the position of BJP worker from him.

18:22 PM (IST)  •  16 Nov 2020

Congrats to Nitish Kumar & all newly sworn-in ministers. I'm sure that under PM Modi's guidance, NDA will give, pro… https://t.co/jE1MeTFRj6

18:21 PM (IST)  •  16 Nov 2020

Devendra Fadnavis who attended the oath ceremony of Bihar Cabinet said that they are delighted to retain the power in Bihar. "A powerful government has been formed and we will work towards the development of the state."

18:13 PM (IST)  •  16 Nov 2020

Nitish Kumar also spoke on the decision of inducting two Deputy Chief Ministers in the cabinet. Nitish Kumar said, "It is the decision of the BJP to not field Sushil Modi as the Deputy Chief Minister."
BJP's Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi took oath as the deputy CMs of Bihar.

18:10 PM (IST)  •  16 Nov 2020

Nitish Kumar thanked the people of Bihar after taking oath as the Chief Minister. Nitish Kumar said," Based on the public's decision, NDA has once again formed the government in the state. We will work together and serve the people."