Nitish Kumar resigns today; may return tomorrow but 'surprises' possible
What's the story
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will resign on Wednesday, paving the way for a new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. The swearing-in ceremony of the new government will be held at Patna's Gandhi Maidan on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Union ministers are likely to attend this grand event. The present Bihar assembly's tenure expires on November 22, and the 18th assembly will be constituted on or before then.
Government transition
Kumar's resignation to kickstart new government formation
Kumar is likely to be first elected as the leader of the Janata Dal (United) legislature party at 11:00am on Wednesday. He would then be elected as the leader of NDA before tendering his resignation to the governor. This will formally start the process of forming a new government. While statements by NDA leaders suggest Kumar's return, a BJP functionary said the confirmation will be made when both BJP and JDU have their legislature party meetings, according to HT.
Cabinet discussions
Deputy CM positions and cabinet surprises
If Kumar returns as CM, it will be his 10th term as Bihar's longest-serving chief minister. The meetings may also provide insight into who would be considered for the position of deputy chief minister. Per HT, the new government may have "surprise elements" in the cabinet, with talks of possibly having only one deputy CM instead of two. The parties are also mulling a formula of one ministerial berth for every six MLAs to ensure balanced representation within the alliance.
Possibilities
New agreement
HT, citing a senior NDA leader said, under this arrangement, the RLM and HAM(S) are expected to get one seat each, the LJP(RV) may get three, and the remaining 30-31 positions will be divided by the BJP and the JD(U). The Constitution restricts the size of a state cabinet to 15% of the overall strength of the assembly. With 243 members in the Bihar assembly, the state can have up to 36 ministries, including the chief minister.
Election results
NDA's electoral victory and cabinet size
The NDA won a thumping majority in the recent assembly elections, winning 202 out of 243 seats. The BJP won 89 seats, JD(U) 85, LJP(RV) 19, HAM(S) five and RLM four. Preparations for the oath ceremony have begun at Patna's Gandhi Maidan, where a massive security presence is in place. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, is likely to attend, as are numerous Union ministers and chief ministers from NDA-ruled states.