Bihar's Chief Minister To Be Decided Today, NDA To Hold Key Meet At Nitish Kumar's Residence

NDA will meet today at 12:30 pm to decide the Chief Minister of Bihar and key portfolios of other Cabinet Ministers. Senior BJP leaders including Amit Shah have reiterated on several occasions their intent of standing by their promise of making Nitish Kumar the chief minister.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi(L) shake hands with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar (R) during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) 'Sankalp' rally in Patna in Patna. FILE PIC/AFP.

Bihar has been awaiting NDA's decision for the new Chief Minister of the state after the Nitish Kumar led alliance emerged victorious in the Bihar Election results. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders will meet at 12.30 pm on Sunday to formally choose its leader in Bihar, chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Saturday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be a part of the meeting. NDA leaders had gathered at Kumar’s residence on Friday for informal interaction, the first such event after the election results were declared on November 10. Also Read| India Summons Charge D'Affaires Of Pakistan Over Ceasefire Violations Along LOC That Killed 5 Soldiers, 4 Civilians “We sat together and decided to convene a meeting of elected legislators of all the four partners on November 15 at 12.30 pm. All decisions will be taken at that meeting. After the meeting and election of the NDA leader, we will stake claim to form the government,” said Kumar. The NDA, which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), Hindustani Awam Morcha-Secular (HAM) and the Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), won 125 seats in the 243-member assembly with the BJP alone winning 74 seats. The JD (U), which had 71 MLAs in 2015, had to settle for 43 seats while the HAM-S and the VIP won four seats each. Though the NDA led alliance won the Bihar Elections, JD(U)'s poor performance raised questions on Nitish Kumar's return to the Chief Minister's chair but senior BJP leaders including Amit Shah have reiterated on several occasions their intent of standing by their promise of making Nitish Kumar the chief minister. Sunday’s meeting could be an event to formally choose Nitish Kumar for the top post in the state once again and to decide a date for the swearing-in ceremony of the leader.