Nitish Kumar Set to Resign Today, Paving Way for Record 10th Term as Bihar CM

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is expected to resign on Wednesday, setting in motion the formal process for his record 10th term after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) swept the state assembly elections.

According to senior JD(U) leaders, party MLAs will first meet at 11 am at the state headquarters to elect Nitish Kumar as their legislature party leader. Later, at 3:30 pm, legislators from all five NDA allies will gather in the Central Hall of the Bihar Assembly to formally endorse him as the coalition’s chief ministerial candidate.

Following these meetings, Nitish Kumar will visit Raj Bhavan to submit his resignation and present letters of support to Governor Arif Mohammad Khan. The outgoing Assembly is likely to be dissolved soon after he stakes claim to form the next government.

NDA’s Thumping Victory

The NDA secured a commanding win last week, bagging 202 seats in the 243-member Assembly. The BJP led the tally with 89 seats, closely followed by JD(U) with 85. Allies LJP (RV), HAM, and RLM contributed 19, five, and four seats respectively—giving the alliance a comfortable majority.

Swearing-In at Gandhi Maidan

Nitish Kumar is slated to take the oath of office on Thursday morning at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan. Several ministers will be sworn in alongside him.

Security arrangements have been tightened across the venue, which will host Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, several Union ministers, and chief ministers from NDA-ruled states. The high-profile attendance is expected to reinforce the NDA’s message that the Bihar win represents a major political endorsement.

Cabinet Talks Hit Hurdles

Despite the preparations, negotiations over cabinet portfolios have reportedly run into “last-minute complications,” sources told India Today TV.

The Home portfolio—held by Nitish Kumar in previous terms—has emerged as the biggest point of contention. While the JD(U) is keen to retain it, the BJP, now the single-largest party, is pushing for more key ministries.

The Speaker’s post is also a sticking point, with both parties lobbying for the role. In the outgoing Assembly, the Speaker was from the BJP and the Deputy Speaker from the JD(U).

PTI reports that JD(U) is likely to retain most of its ministers, while the BJP may bring in several new faces. The cabinet is expected to see wider representation from allies as well, with the LJP (RV) tipped to get three berths and HAM and RLM likely to receive one each.